A top aide to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo told leading state Democratic lawmakers that the administration had withheld data on COVID-19 deaths at nursing homes to avoid federal scrutiny, according to a bombshell new report.
The
revelation prompted condemnations and even talk of impeachment in
Albany, the state's capital. Rep. Lee Zeldin, R-N.Y., wants the
Department of Justice to open an obstruction of justice investigation.
"The
families of thousands of dead New York seniors deserve accountability
and justice for the true consequences of Governor Cuomo’s fatally flawed
nursing home policy and the continued attempts to cover it up. It’s
clear what's happening here is criminal," he said.
The New York Post
first reported that Melissa DeRosa, secretary to the governor, told
leading Empire State Democrats that the administration feared the data
could "be used against us" by the Justice Department during a video
conference call.
CUOMO ADMIN SAYS TOTAL CORONAVIRUS DEATHS IN NURSING HOMES IS EVEN HIGHER
The DOJ began investigating nursing home coronavirus deaths in four states back in August – and New York was one of them.
NEW YORK, UNITED STATES - 2020/09/09: Melissa DeRosa Secretary to
Governor attends Andrew Cuomo announcement that restaurants can be open
for in-door dining on September 30 at 3rd ave office. (Photo by Lev
Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images)
"We were in a position where we weren’t sure if
what we were going to give to the Department of Justice, or what we
give to you guys, what we start saying, was going to be used against us
while we weren’t sure if there was going to be an investigation," DeRosa
told the lawmakers, according to the Post report.
Rich Azzopardi, a senior Cuomo adviser, placed some of the blame on the Trump administration.
"We
explained that the Trump administration was in the midst of a
politically motivated effort to blame Democratic states for COVID
deaths," he said Thursday evening. "And that we were cooperating with
federal document productions -- and that was the priority. And now that
it is over, we can address the state Legislature. That said, we were
working simultaneously to complete the audit of information they were
asking for."
NY UNDERCOUNTED NURSING HOME CORONAVIRUS DEATHS BY AS MUCH AS 50%, STATE AG SAYS
News
of the call sparked outrage among state Republicans and other critics
of Cuomo’s conduct already incensed over his March 25 directive that
ordered thousands of virus-infected seniors back into assisted-living
facilities, nursing homes and other long-term care locations.
"The
second most powerful person in state government and top aide to Gov.
Cuomo admitted on video to the premeditated and willful violation of
state laws and what clearly amounts to federal obstruction of justice,"
said state GOP Chairman Nick Langworthy. "Andrew Cuomo has abused his
power and destroyed the trust placed in the office of governor.
Prosecution and impeachment discussions must begin right away."
Freedom
of information data released Wednesday revealed that the nursing home
death toll was far higher than previously reported. And those numbers
emerged just two weeks after the state’s attorney general found that
numbers released before the end of January were also underreported.
"It
seems every decision coming out of the governor's office is about Team
Cuomo protecting its own image and own interests," state Assemblyman
William Barclay, the chamber’s Republican leader, told Fox News
Thursday. "More than 15,000 seniors died in adult-care facilities, but
the governor was clearly more worried about a DOJ investigation and
political finger-pointing."
In response to a separate freedom of
information request this week, state health officials told the
Associated Press that more than 9,000 virus patients had been sent into
nursing homes in the state before Cuomo reversed the directive on May
10.
"This administration intentionally withheld information from
the public, from the press, from lawmakers and from the thousands of
families who lost loved ones," Barclay said. "This is why closed-door
conversations won't cut it. If this doesn't make it painfully obvious
that we need to issue subpoenas and hold public hearings, I don't know
what will."
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Even Democratic lawmakers on the call pushed back against the administration’s excuses.
"In
a pandemic, when you want the public to trust the public health
officials, and there is this clear feeling that they’re not…being
forthcoming with you, that is really hard," state Sen. Rachel May said
during the call.