Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo now stands at the center of a criminal referral for allegedly making “criminally false statements” about a key July 2020 report. This document reportedly downplayed the number of COVID-related nursing home deaths in New York. On Wednesday, the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic officially referred Cuomo to the Department of Justice, insisting he misled the public about his role in preparing the report from the New York State Department of Health. Despite the formal referral, it’s important to note that the DOJ isn’t obligated to initiate a deeper investigation.
Alleged Misrepresentation and Evidence
According to a draft version of the criminal referral, the controversial report in question significantly undercounted nursing home deaths by a staggering 46%. “The Department of Justice should consider Mr. Cuomo’s prior allegedly wrongful conduct when evaluating whether to charge him for the false statements described,” stated Representative Brad Wenstrup (R-Ohio) in the signed referral letter. Wenstrup further accused Cuomo of taking deliberate measures to shield himself from being held accountable for the nursing home death scandal.
The referral sharply criticized Cuomo’s actions,
Wenstrup writing, “Mr. Cuomo provided false statements to the select subcommittee in what appears to be a conscious, calculated effort to insulate himself from accountability.”
Uncovering Cuomo’s Involvement
The subcommittee’s investigation turned up compelling evidence, including a June 2020 email from Cuomo’s former assistant, which allegedly disclosed that Cuomo made specific edits to the report before its release. He reportedly pushed for language that emphasized how “community spread among employees or possibly visitation by family and friends were relevant factors” in the nursing home fatalities. Notably, these changes were incorporated into the final published version.
Adding to the allegations, newly surfaced congressional documents claim that Cuomo’s aides had requested “two copies” of the report to be delivered to his residence ahead of its release, further suggesting his deep involvement in shaping the narrative.
Cuomo Fires Back
In response to the criminal referral, Cuomo took a counter-offensive approach, filing his own criminal referral against the subcommittee. His referral stated, “This interrogation far exceeded the Subcommittee’s jurisdiction and appears to have been an improper effort to advantage the interests of private litigants against Governor Cuomo, warranting investigation by the Department of Justice.”
Richard Azzopardi, spokesperson for Cuomo, came out swinging. “This taxpayer-funded farce is an illegal use of Congress’s investigative authority,” he declared. He also defended Cuomo’s claims of memory lapse, adding, “The governor said he didn’t recall because he didn’t recall. The committee lied in their referral just as they have been lying to the public and the press.”
