The House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic is requesting an interview from disgraced former Democratic New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo related to his handling of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Covid subcommittee wrote a letter to Cuomo asking him to testify on Feb. 2, 2024, and address his nursing home policy during the Covid-19 pandemic that resulted in thousands of unreported Covid-19 deaths. In addition to Cuomo, the subcommittee is asking his top aide Melissa DeRosa to testify on Jan. 19, 2024, about her role in the nursing home debacle and subsequent coverup. (RELATED: Trump Defends Eric Adams, Andrew Cuomo, Others Sued For ‘Ridiculous’ Sexual Assault Law)
READ THE LETTERS:
“Troublingly, the extent of the deaths occurring in nursing homes was hidden from the public. In a report by New York’s Attorney General, COVID-19-related nursing home deaths in New York were undercounted by as much as 50 percent—resulting in thousands of COVID-19 related nursing home deaths not being reported properly during the pandemic,” the letter to DeRosa reads.
“Accordingly, you possess information that is vital to the Select Subcommittee’s investigation into the circumstances and policies which led to the deaths of more than 15,000 New York nursing home residents.”
Covid subcommittee lawmakers are also requesting documents from DeRosa and the Olson Group, an organization appointed by sitting Democratic New York Gov. Kathy Hochul to investigate Cuomo’s nursing home Covid policy.
Lawmakers are demanding all documents and communications related to the nursing home policy including records from DeRosa’s personal devices and the Olson Group’s final report for the state of New York. DeRosa and the Olson Group have until Dec. 15 to turn over the records.
Then-New York Gov. Cuomo’s Department of Health knowingly omitted thousands of deaths from its official tally of nursing home deaths when the Covid pandemic raged in 2020. Cuomo had ordered nursing homes to allow hospital patients who tested positive for Covid-19 to reside in their facilities.
NEW YORK, NY – JUNE 15: New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo speaks during a press conference at One World Trade Center on June 15, 2021 in New York City. The Governor announced that 70% of New York State’s adult population has received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. He also said a majority of New York’s coronavirus restrictions will be lifted now that the milestone has been reached, just one week after he set the goal. (Photo by David Dee Delgado/Getty Images)
Cuomo and his aides proceeded to mislead the public on his behavior by commissioning a report on the nursing home deaths and editing it to manipulate the narrative surrounding Cuomo’s nursing home order. His administration continued to undercount nursing home deaths months after admitting it covered up the actual death totals.
The prominent ex-Democratic governor later resigned after a wave of scrutiny for the nursing home scandal and allegations of sexual misconduct from multiple women. Hochul, his lieutenant, took over the governor’s mansion after Cuomo’s resignation and disclosed thousands of additional nursing home deaths hidden by the Cuomo administration.
New York voters elected Hochul governor in November 2022 despite an unexpectedly strong campaign from former Republican New York Rep. Lee Zeldin.
Cuomo is reportedly considering jumping back into the political sphere with a campaign to be Mayor of New York City as the city’s current Mayor Eric Adams faces an FBI investigation for his alleged financial relationship with organizations linked to the Turkish government.
The disgraced former governor also appeared with DeRosa on HBO’s “Real Time with Bill Maher” in October to defend himself against the sexual misconduct allegations.
Cuomo is now being sued by a former staffer for alleged sexual assault.