Now, however, he faces bipartisan calls for an investigation and limitations on his executive powers after an aide said the government delayed the release of data on Covid-19 deaths of long-term residents because of concerns about a possible federal investigation into the Trump administration, at a time when former President Donald Trump was personally threatening Cuomo.
At the heart of the matter is the question of whether New York could have prevented the state’s nearly 46,000 deaths better, the second highest total of any US state so far, and whether the decision to discharge residents recovering from hospitals for nursing homes increased infections among vulnerable elderly residents.
Here is everything you need to know about the controversy.
What happened?
James also said at the time that there were some insufficient reports from some nursing homes about the deaths of residents at his facility.
The report preliminarily concluded that deaths were underreported based on a survey of 62 nursing homes, roughly a sample of 10% of total facilities across the state.
The attorney general’s report detailed a facility where deaths were underreported to the Department of Health in up to 29 deaths.
In a statement responding to the report, New York State health commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker pointed out that there was an insufficient count overall – claiming it was just a matter of classification.
The department “always publicly reported the number of fatalities in hospitals, regardless of the patient’s residence, and separately reported the number of fatalities in nursing home facilities and was clear about the nature of that report,” said Zucker at the time.
Cuomo said questions about the deaths began as a “political attack”.
“What I would say is that everyone did the best they could,” said Cuomo during a news conference on January 29. “When I say that the State Department of Health – as the report said – the State Department of Health followed federal guidelines. So, if you think there was a mistake, go talk to the federal government. It is not about pointing fingers or blaming. This has become a right for political football. Look, if a person died in a hospital or in a nursing home. Yeah – people died. People died. “
How did things increase?
DeRosa said specifically that the government “froze” over data requests from state lawmakers because it was concerned last summer about Trump’s criticisms and was unsure of what information it would deliver after a request from the U.S. Department of Justice related to a investigation into deaths in the state’s Covid-19 nursing home.
“The letter arrives in late August and at about the same time, President Trump turns it into a giant political football. He starts tweeting that we killed everyone in nursing homes and starts chasing (New Jersey Governor Phil) Murphy , starts chasing (Governor of California Gavin) Newsom, starts chasing (Governor of Michigan) Gretchen Whitmer, “said DeRosa, according to a conference call transcript.
In a statement last week, DeRosa sought to clarify his comments on the link with lawmakers.
“I was explaining that when we received the DOJ inquiry, we needed to temporarily void the legislature’s request to deal with the federal request first. We informed the houses at the time, ”she said. “We were comprehensive and transparent in our responses to the DOJ, so we immediately had to focus our resources on the second wave and the launch of the vaccine.”
Cuomo himself said at a news conference on Monday that the state Department of Health had always “fully” reported all Covid-19 deaths in nursing homes and hospitals before insisting that there is “nothing to investigate”.
He also took responsibility for what he said was failing to provide information to bereaved people more quickly.
“The void allowed for misinformation and conspiracy, and now people are left with the thought: ‘Does my loved one have to die?’ And that is a brutal and brutal question of asking a person, “he said.” And I want everyone to know that everything has been done. Everything was done by the best minds in the best interest. “
What were the consequences?
“There is an impetus in the direction of removing its powers,” a CNN source told Lauren del Valle. A bill is likely to be introduced this week in the state legislature and voted on early next week.
The source said there was support for the removal of Cuomo’s expanded powers before the aide’s comments were made public, but now “this will definitely happen.”
Cuomo said on Monday that there was no connection between the issues of the nursing home and its emergency powers, and he said that his legal actions against Covid-19 are only to protect the public.
“These are public health decisions,” he said. “These are not local political decisions and must be made based on public health.”
Other lawmakers are calling for an investigation of the episode, and the Republican state’s state president has called for Cuomo’s impeachment.
“The gravity of this cover-up cannot be overstated,” New York Republican Party President Nick Langworthy said at a recent news conference.
“The Cuomo government purposely lied and withheld evidence and information to avoid prosecution,” he continued. “Andrew Cuomo should be prosecuted and Andrew Cuomo should be charged with impeachment if such evidence exists.”
CNN’s Dakin Andone, Lauren del Valle and Eric Levenson contributed to this report.