Rep. Brad Wenstrup (R-OH) issued a subpoena to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Tuesday, demanding the release of documents tied to former Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s handling of COVID-19 in nursing homes. The documents, crucial to an ongoing House investigation, have been delayed for nearly a year, raising concerns about transparency in Hochul’s administration.
The House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic originally requested the documents in November 2023. The records are vital to understanding Cuomo’s policy of sending COVID-positive patients into nursing homes, a decision blamed for thousands of deaths among vulnerable seniors. Hochul, despite promising transparency, has yet to provide the requested materials.
Among the documents being withheld are a series of emails labeled “Draft Nursing Home Plan” from April and May 2020. These communications are expected to shed light on New York’s decision-making process during the pandemic. A directive requiring negative COVID-19 tests for nursing home residents before admission is also part of the requested materials.
Wenstrup’s subpoena criticized Hochul’s administration for deliberately withholding these documents, even as other materials were turned over. Investigators expressed frustration that the executive chamber provided heavily redacted documents or records that were already publicly available, obstructing the investigation.
The House committee is intensifying its efforts to uncover the full extent of Cuomo’s policies and their impact on nursing home residents. Hochul’s refusal to release the requested documents has drawn criticism for her administration’s lack of transparency.
