A House subcommittee plans to refer former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo to the Justice Department for potential prosecution, alleging he misled Congress about his involvement in a New York state COVID-19 report on nursing home deaths, The New York Times reported on Wednesday.
The Republican-led House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic, chaired by Ohio Rep. Brad Wenstrup, will finalize the referral Thursday. The referral accuses Cuomo of a “conscious, calculated effort” to evade responsibility for thousands of nursing home deaths during the pandemic. However, the referral is solely signed by Wenstrup; California Democrat Rep. Raul Ruiz declined to endorse it.
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The referral centers on Cuomo’s testimony, in which he reportedly denied any involvement in reviewing a state health department report that deflected blame from his administration. However, recent evidence from congressional records and emails indicates Cuomo reviewed and contributed to early drafts of the report.
In response, Cuomo’s legal team issued a letter to the DOJ, alleging the subcommittee misused resources and accusing Rep. Wenstrup of political bias. Cuomo’s attorney, Sarah A. Sulkowski, argued that the investigation is politically motivated and claimed the subcommittee acted in coordination with Fox News commentator Janice Dean, who has previously criticized Cuomo’s handling of nursing home policies.
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Cuomo’s COVID-19 policies have faced significant scrutiny, especially his March 2020 directive requiring nursing homes to accept COVID-positive patients, a decision linked to over 4,000 resident deaths according to a 2021 report by Attorney General Letitia James. Cuomo also faced backlash for allegedly underreporting COVID-related nursing home fatalities by altering classifications.
As this controversy unfolds, speculation is mounting about Cuomo’s potential return to politics, with rumors of a possible run for New York City mayor in 2025 amid current Mayor Eric Adams’ own legal issues, including federal bribery charges.
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