NEW YORK, NY – SEPTEMBER 14: New York Governor Andrew Cuomo speaks during a press conference at his office in Midtown Manhattan, September 14, 2018 in New York City. Cuomo discussed his victory on the night of the primaries, as well as a number of other topics. (Photo by Drew Angerer / Getty Images) | Drew Angerer / Getty images
ALBANY, NY – New York Republicans attacked Governor Andrew Cuomo’s government on Thursday night in response to new revelations about his blocking the release of information on deaths in nursing homes, with several calling for his resignation or impeachment.
The New York Post reported that government official Melissa DeRosa told Democratic state legislators at a meeting on Wednesday that the government “froze” when asked to disclose data on the number of nursing home residents who died in Covid-19 . A March Cuomo guideline requiring nursing homes to admit patients with a positive result for coronavirus was blamed for contributing to the high mortality rates.
DeRosa said the government resisted the release of data because of former President Donald Trump’s attempts to turn the tragedy “into a giant political football,” according to the Post. “Because then we were in a position where we weren’t sure whether what we were going to give the Department of Justice, or what we gave you, what we started to say, would be used against us while we were not” I’m not sure if there will be an investigation “said DeRosa, according to the Post.
Almost all of the state’s top Republicans attacked the Post’s report, subjecting Cuomo to a barrage of unparalleled criticism at any time during his decade in office.
“For more than six months, day after day, in brief after brief, Governor Cuomo stood before New Yorkers and lied about his directive that contributed to the deaths of thousands of elderly people,” said the Dutchess county executive, Marc Molinaro, Cuomo challenger in 2018. in the coming days, he will cynically try to convince us that it was for our own good – that it was someone else’s fault. That is another lie. What is true is that Andrew Cuomo was unworthy of our trust and unfit for public office. “
“Process and impeachment discussions should start immediately,” said Republican Party President Nick Langworthy. “If the governor is involved, he should be immediately removed from office,” said minority leader in the state Senate, Rob Ortt. And Congressman Tom Reed (RN.Y.) asked other members of Congress to request “an independent and thorough investigation by the Biden Department of Justice into Governor Cuomo and the state of New York.”
Numerous Democrats attacked Cuomo after the recent release of a report by state attorney general Tish James saying the governor underestimated the death toll. So far, however, state legislature leaders have avoided going to war with Cuomo by issuing subpoenas or reducing their emergency powers.
Some Democrats who have been Cuomo’s biggest critics joined Republicans in responding to the Post’s article: “You just regret that everyone was caught,” tweeted state senator Alessandra Biaggi (D-Westchester). “Because of their decisions, thousands of people died who did not have to die.”
Cuomo’s adviser, Rich Azzopardi, responded to the Post’s report in a comment to the newspaper he later tweeted: “We explained that the Trump administration was in the midst of a politically motivated effort to blame [Democratic] states for COVID deaths and that we were cooperating with the production of federal documents and that was the priority and now that it’s over we can talk to the state legislature. “