Pressure Mounts On Cuomo Over COVID Deaths At Nursing Homes

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FILE - In this Saturday, Jan. 23, 2021, file photo, Gov. Andrew Cuomo speaks to reporters during a news conference at a COVID-19 pop-up vaccination site in the William Reid Apartments in the Brooklyn borough of New York. Democratic Assembly member Ron Kim says Gov. Cuomo vowed to "destroy" him, during a private phone call last week for criticizing his handling of COVID-19 outbreaks at nursing homes. Cuomo, who has long had a reputation for playing rough in politics, denied the allegation Wednesday, Feb. 17. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, Pool, File)

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo faced mounting challenges to his leadership on the coronavirus pandemic Wednesday as state lawmakers threatened to strip him of the power to issue emergency orders and federal investigators scrutinized his administration’s handling of nursing home data.

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The U.S. Justice Department has been examining the governor’s coronavirus task force and trying to determine whether the state intentionally manipulated data regarding deaths in nursing homes, two people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press.

The people, who weren’t authorized to discuss the investigation and spoke on condition of anonymity, said the Cuomo administration had not been cooperative with prosecutors, especially in the early stages of the probe, and for months had not produced documents and other data the Justice Department had requested.

The inquiry began months ago in the Justice Department’s civil division, and parts of it have previously been disclosed publicly. On Aug. 26, federal prosecutors gave Cuomo’s administration 14 days to provide data on nursing home deaths. More data was sought in October.

The Times Union of Albany reported Wednesday that prosecutors in the U.S. attorney’s office in Brooklyn had also become involved in an inquiry.

Over the summer, Cuomo’s administration assailed the investigation as politically motivated. There was also some resistance from career prosecutors inside the Justice Department’s civil rights division who viewed the investigation as political, the two people told The AP.

The investigation moved back into the public spotlight in recent weeks after revelations that Cuomo’s administration had given the public, and state lawmakers, an incomplete accounting of the number of deaths at nursing homes and assisted living facilities.

In recent weeks, the administration revealed that 15,000 long-term care residents have died, up from the 8,500 previously disclosed.

Cuomo’s top aide, Melissa DeRosa, also told Democratic lawmakers that the administration delayed releasing data to the legislature about the deaths because officials “froze” over worries the information was “going to be used against us” by the Justice Department.

Cuomo’s senior advisor, Rich Azzopardi, said Wednesday that it wasn’t true that the administration had withheld records from the Justice Department, though he acknowledged that some data requested in October had taken time to collect and produce.

“We responded to the entire August request and have been in the process of responding to the October request on a rolling basis as suggested by the Department of Justice at the time, with a production as recent as January 8, 2021,” Azzopardi said. “As we publicly said, DOJ has been looking into this for months. We have been cooperating with them and we will continue to.”

Meanwhile, Cuomo was dealing with a fresh challenge in the state Senate, where top Democrats, including Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, prepared to vote in the coming days on a proposal that would require the governor to consult with legislators before issuing emergency orders.

Cuomo has used those powers, granted to him last spring, to limit public gatherings, close businesses and schools, and then unilaterally loosen those restrictions when he felt it would help the state.

Stewart-Cousins said the situation had changed since the early months of the crisis.

“We certainly see the need for a quick response but also want to move toward a system of increased oversight, and review,” she said. “The public deserves to have checks and balances. Our proposal would create a system with increased input while at the same time ensuring New Yorkers continue to be protected.”

It wasn’t clear whether the proposal had support in the state Assembly.

The development unfolded as Cuomo feuded with Democrats who had criticized his handling of COVID-19 outbreaks at nursing homes.

Assembly Member Ron Kim said Cuomo had vowed to “destroy” him during a private phone call last week for criticism he felt was unfair.

Cuomo denied the allegation, then used a call with reporters Wednesday to blast Kim, one of nine Democrats who signed a letter seeking support for the proposal to limit his emergency powers, which are set to expire this spring.

The letter, sent to Assembly members Tuesday, said Cuomo’s administration “deliberately covered up” the extent of deaths in nursing homes and “engaged in an intentional obstruction of justice.”

Cuomo said earlier this week the state didn’t cover up deaths, but should have moved faster to release information. “No excuses: I accept responsibility for that,” he said at a news conference.

He said it’s a “lie” that he obstructed justice, and told reporters Wednesday that he had a “long hostile relationship” with Kim. The governor accused Kim of being “unethical” for backing nail salon owners as lawmakers discussed safety and wage reforms of the industry in 2015. Kim had initially supported the reforms, but later opposed some of them after getting support from salon owners.

“I didn’t say anything about Assemblyman Ron Kim. He attacked me,” Cuomo said. “He attacked me and said that I obstructed justice in a letter.”

Kim told The Associated Press on Wednesday that Cuomo called him on the phone Feb. 11 and shouted at him.

“He went off on, I have not seen his wrath, that he had bit his tongue about me for months,” Kim said. “And I heard, ‘I can go out tomorrow and I will destroy your career. I will start telling the world how bad of an Assembly member you are and you’ll be finished.’”

Azzopardi, who was on the call, accused Kim of lying in a statement Wednesday and said no one threatened to “destroy anyone with their wrath.”


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Maven
Maven
3 years ago

The fake news is now trying to pretend as if they are for justice and therefore Cuomo should be investigated.

Cruel Cuomo’s sleazy actions was obvious from day one the pandemic started.

Thousands of people died in hospitals out of pure negligence.

Lying Cuomo claimed there wasn’t enough beds in hospitals and not enough health care professionals and ventilators etc.

President Trump sent to NY military ship hospitals, ventilators and everything that was needed. Cruel Cuomo didn’t use anything of it. All he was interested was attacking de Blasio and Trump.

Throw the bum out of office and send hip tp prison!

ah GROIS gelechter!
ah GROIS gelechter!
3 years ago

throw the bum out….

Educated Archy
Educated Archy
3 years ago

Vnahpuch hu on time for purim.

Impeach Cuomo for abuse of power. This is a an impeachable offense .

At limit a check in his dictatorship is needed. make no mistake this is the issue with emergency power. As I have noted all along civil liberties are the core of our nation. Yes we paid and lost many lives for that. Neither covid nor anything else can trample on that.

And to the many naysayers who say its selfish of us frum jews to say social interaction is our essential. I suggest you read yesterdays interactive NYT article about covid in meah shearim. Of course it was bias like the NYT. But they did sprinkle in the idea, that social interaction just is who we are. Without it we are nothing and cease to exist. A governor needs to get that. And when its an act vengeance and ego it comes with a greater rishus. We likme mordechai won’t bow down. They yelled chilul Hashem and danger but mordechai knew waht was essentail then and so do we.

Nasty Pelosi is a stain on our nation.
Nasty Pelosi is a stain on our nation.
3 years ago

Geronticidal Tyrant

Ina
Ina
3 years ago

Cuomo the Mafioso from the progeny of Amalek should have a great downfall soon! Can’t wait!

Misha Nichnas Adar
Misha Nichnas Adar
3 years ago

Time to pay the piper, just like Trump.