On Thursday (Feb. 11), a top aide to New York Governor Cuomo admitted that the state did deliberately hide the truth from the feds and the outside world about the nursing Home death toll.
The revelation sparked outrage from members of both parties, with Democratic and Republican lawmakers at all levels issuing statements or tweets condemning Cuomo. Not only did they demand that he return the Emmy he won last year for his “achievements in fighting the Epidemic,” but they also demanded that he immediately surrender his authority to deal with the epidemic in New York State; some Democratic Party leaders suggested that he should step down; and Republicans demanded that Cuomo step down immediately and that he should be immediately handed over to the judiciary.
According to the New York Post, Cuomo Secretary Melissa DeRosa admitted in a video conference with top Democrats on Wednesday that the Cuomo administration was afraid the data would be “used against us” by the Justice Department in the face of federal and other agency questions about the number of deaths in New York State nursing homes last year. The data was deliberately “frozen”.
Cuomo afraid to show up amid scandal
Although Cuomo traveled to Washington, D.C., on Friday as scheduled to attend a discussion on Biden‘s $1.9 trillion epidemic relief budget, he did not dare to meet with the public after the meeting as president of the National Governors Association.
City Councilman Asks Cuomo to Return Emmy Award
Cuomo received an Emmy Founders Award last November for his “leadership role in the COVID-19 pandemic and his skillful use of television to inform and reassure people around the world. Councilman Robert Holden (D) said in a statement Friday that the Emmys should take the award back from Cuomo.
“We now know that his television appearances and influence were used to mislead the public about how people’s loved ones died.” Holton wrote, “Please immediately retract the commendation for the governor, as his actions are an insult to all those who lost loved ones in the Great Plague.”
Democrats demand Cuomo surrender emergency anti-epidemic powers
Fourteen New York State Democratic senators have joined together to demand that Cuomo should surrender the authority he currently holds to deal with the emergency of the epidemic.
“It is clear that the extended emergency powers granted to the governor are no longer appropriate.” The statement reads, “While the executive authority to sign the executive order expires on April 30, we still urge the state Senate to move forward and repeal that authority as soon as possible.”
Democratic bigwigs hint he will step down
New York State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D) issued a rare condemnation of Cuomo.
“Important information must not be withheld from the watchdog.” She said, “This has been the information that gets the truth and is used to guide our response.”
Cousins, meanwhile, issued an unambiguous threat to Cuomo. “As always, we will meet to discuss what to do next,” she said.
State House Investigative Committee Chairman John McDonald (R) also said, “As far as coming up with answers to a lot of questions and facts, we need to make a decision on the next step.”
He said, “Anyone who has lost a loved one in a nursing home deserves those answers, and colleagues and I are going to make sure this is transparent.”
Republicans demand Cuomo step down and stand trial
New York State Republican freshman U.S. Rep. Niclole Malliotakis (R) called for Cuomo to step down over the scandal. In a letter to the Justice Department, she said, “Cuomo and his administration have committed potentially criminal acts.
Another New York Republican, Rep. Tom Reed, said he plans to fill out a brief seeking the arrest of DeRosa by local and federal law enforcement officials.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican, said Cuomo has “blood on his hands.
“Cuomo’s cover-up led to the unnecessary deaths of New Yorkers who everyone knew were in danger; while Fred (ed. a derogatory term for Cuomo’s brother who anchors for CNN) and CNN helped him cover it up and laughed on the sidelines.” She tweeted.
Republican Rep. Whip Steve Scalise tweeted, “It’s Time for a federal investigation; it’s time for a prosecution; it’s time for justice to be done.”
Separately, state Democratic Sen. Alessandra Biaggi (D) said of DeRosa’s words of apology, “You are upset simply because you were caught. Thousands of undeserving people are dead because of your decision. We are not ‘offended,’ we are very angry with good reason.”
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