The House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic plans to refer former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo to the Department of Justice, alleging that he misled Congress about his role in the state’s COVID-19 nursing home report. This referral follows claims by the Republican-led committee that Cuomo took deliberate steps to avoid accountability for thousands of nursing home deaths during the pandemic.
Rep. Brad Wenstrup (R-OH), who chairs the subcommittee, signed the referral letter, alleging that Cuomo misrepresented his involvement in drafting a report from the New York Department of Health. According to congressional records and emails cited by the committee, Cuomo not only reviewed the report but contributed to early drafts — contrary to his closed-door testimony. The referral was not endorsed by Rep. Raul Ruiz (D-CA), the subcommittee’s ranking Democrat.
🚨The Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic is referring Former New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo for criminal prosecution.
Evidence suggests Andrew Cuomo knowingly and willfully made materially false statements about New York’s COVID-19 nursing home disaster and the… pic.twitter.com/kJrOQpXHLn
— Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic (@COVIDSelect) October 31, 2024
In response, Cuomo’s attorney, Sarah A. Sulkowski, sent a letter to the DOJ accusing the subcommittee of conducting a partisan investigation. She argued that the inquiry was driven by political motivations and that Fox News personality Janice Dean, a critic of Cuomo’s COVID-19 policies, influenced the panel’s actions.
Cuomo’s handling of the pandemic has faced scrutiny since his March 2020 directive requiring nursing homes to admit COVID-19-positive patients. A 2021 report by New York Attorney General Letitia James revealed that the policy may have contributed to over 4,000 nursing home deaths, raising questions about the directive’s impact on COVID-19 spread in elder care facilities.
Cuomo’s congressional testimony in June 2020 also raised concerns. During his appearance, he denied underreporting nursing home deaths by altering classifications—a claim initially questioned by a Daily Caller News Foundation report that year. The recent referral adds to these allegations, suggesting further review by federal prosecutors.
Evidence now shows what we’ve known all along: Governor Andrew Cuomo willfully lied to Congress about New York’s COVID nursing home disaster.
Referring him for criminal prosecution is the critical next step to finally holding him accountable.
If the DOJ doesn’t immediately… https://t.co/7KCWuty5VE
— Steve Scalise (@SteveScalise) October 31, 2024
With speculation about a political comeback, including a potential run for New York City mayor, Cuomo faces renewed scrutiny as this latest controversy unfolds. Mayor Eric Adams’ current bribery probe has fueled interest in Cuomo’s potential return, though his COVID-19 record remains a point of contention.
