New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has dismissed allegations of wrongdoing when reporting data of nursing home deaths. His response comes after recent statistics surfaced that New York had underreported coronavirus nursing home deaths by more than 50 percent.
Cuomo said that there was a “delay” in providing additional information to the public.
“The New York State Department of Health fully and publicly reported all COVID deaths in nursing homes and hospitals. They have always been fully reported… We paused the state legislature’s request. We voluntarily complied with the [Department of Justice’s] request for information. Two very different things… Nursing homes have the most vulnerable populations, we know that,” Cuomo said at a news conference.
In January, Attorney General Letitia James reported that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP virus) nursing home death count was only half the total amount because they didn’t count elderly who later died in the hospital.
The state health commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker revealed the actual number of nursing home deaths at 15,049, including fatalities from hospitals, adult care, and assisted living facilities. The department of health had previously reported only 8,711 deaths.
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Holding Cuomo accountable
Cuomo’s Secretary Melissa DeRosa went on record, stating that Cuomo had intentionally underreported deaths to avoid political scrutiny and a federal investigation. Before these facts had surfaced, Cuomo had been lauded as the prime example of how to deal with the coronavirus in New York.
New York GOP Chairman Nick Langworthy chastised the governor, insisting that Cuomo be impeached and prosecuted for intentionally lying and withholding information. Former governor of New York Republican George Pataki suggested creating a legal mechanism to recall Cuomo.
New York’s Democrat leaders are discussing whether to repeal Cuomo’s expanded emergency powers. This has been under consideration for a while, but with the recent controversy, such action is “definitely going to happen,” a source told CNN.
Democrat Robert Holden from New York has also demanded that Cuomo’s Emmy Award be rescinded. The award was given to Cuomo last November for his daily televised press briefings at the pandemic’s peak.
According to a Siena College Research Institute poll, Cuomo’s overall job approval fell from last month’s 56-42 to 51-47. When questioned about how Cuomo covered up the nursing home death count, 55 percent stated that they disapproved.
New Yorkers are also undecided about reelecting Cuomo. Forty-six percent say that they would vote for him in 2022, but 45 percent want a different governor.
The children of Agnes Minisalle, who died last year in a New York nursing home, want Cuomo to be investigated for hiding nursing home deaths. They also want the family members to be allowed back into the nursing homes. During the lockdown, the siblings were unable to see their mother.
Ted Minisalle, one of Agnes’ children, told Fox News:
“You pat yourself on the back and tell everyone how good you’re doing. At the same time, you’re lying about the lives that are being lost… It’s just terrible, absolutely terrible.”
