WASHINGTON, D.C. — Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is testifying earlier than Congress about his administration’s dealing with of the COVID pandemic.
Cuomo beforehand testified in a non-public listening to again on June 11.
A Republican-led Home committee accuses Cuomo of sending 1000’s of New York seniors to their deaths after which making an attempt to cowl it up.
Even earlier than Cuomo’s testimony, the committee introduced a subpoena towards Gov. Kathy Hochul demanding she hand over paperwork associated to the Cuomo administration, saying she has not been cooperative with its investigation. Hochul’s spokesperson stated the administration was stunned by the announcement, because it has cooperated with the committee and handed over 1000’s of paperwork.
Cuomo testifies
Cuomo testified earlier than Congress on accusations his administration despatched 1000’s of New York seniors to their deaths after which tried to cowl it up.
“You might be culpable for this. My query is when have been you negotiating in your multi-million greenback advance in your e-book deal whereas seniors have been dying in nursing houses?” Rep. Elise Stefanik requested.
“You’ll be able to’t simply make up details, congresswoman,” Cuomo stated.
“You are the one making up details. You are the one who undercounted nursing house deaths. There are households sitting right here. I need you to show round proper now and apologize to them, which you will have did not do,” Stefanik stated.
Cuomo stated New York was following federal tips.
“It was truly the Trump administration – the CMS and CDC – that first stated in March 2020 that COVID+ folks might go from hospitals to nursing houses. That was your ruling,” Cuomo stated.
The committee alleges that Cuomo underreported the variety of nursing house deaths and ordered an unscientific report, concluding that Cuomo’s “should admit” order had little affect on nursing house fatalities.
Cuomo was requested if he directed his workers to make the variety of nursing house deaths decrease than they have been.
“No. We stated these are the deaths with out the ‘out of facility’ demise numbers, which we are going to add after they’re correct, which can cut back the hospital demise quantity, however the whole variety of deaths stays the identical. It was an allocation query,” Cuomo stated.
He once more pointed the finger on the federal authorities.
“There was no preparation, testing, no PPE, no masks, no science, no management. As one Republican governor stated about Trump, the overall was lacking in motion, leaving states in a bidding struggle for PPE. It was the COVID ‘Starvation Video games,'” Cuomo stated.
Households demand accountability
Two girls who misplaced mother and father weeks after Cuomo’s “should admit” order in 2020 compelled COVID sufferers into state nursing houses drove down to observe Cuomo’s testimony in particular person, and say he have to be held accountable.
“He was bigger than life,” Tracey Alvono stated.
Daniel Alvino – her father – was a grandfather, a Vietnam Struggle veteran, and considered one of 15,000 New York nursing house sufferers who died of COVID after that “should admit” order requiring nursing houses to just accept COVID+ sufferers. He was present process in-patient rehab after a easy surgical procedure when the order previous.
“He known as us and stated if we did not get him out of there, he was going to die. There have been folks coughing, ambulances coming and going, and he was scared,” Tracey Alvino stated.
The subsequent day, he was Daniel Alvino, was hospitalized with COVD. He died days later.
“It it going to be arduous sitting toes away from the person I blame for killing my father and 1000’s of different folks? Completely. Is it going to be arduous to hearken to him twist and spin the reality? A hundred percent. However I’ve to be there to see it for the households that may’t go. I’ve to be a voice for the 15,000 individuals who not have a voice due to all his grotesque choices,” Tracey Alvino stated.
Bombshell report blasts Cuomo’s alleged coverup
Forward of Tuesday’s listening to, the Home subcommittee launched a bombshell report, accusing Cuomo of creating false statements to cowl up the variety of deaths.
As 15,000 seniors died from COVID in New York nursing houses in 2020, there was mounting criticism of a March 25 directive that was issued by his administration. It ordered, partly, “no resident shall be denied re-admission or admission to the [nursing home] solely based mostly on a confirmed or suspected analysis of COVID 19.”
The 48-page report says Cuomo instructed a reporter on March 10, 2020, that coronavirus in nursing houses was a “nightmare” state of affairs, and instructed former President Donald Trump’s administration, “This might be like hearth by way of dry grass.” But, he nonetheless issued the lethal directive statewide.
“The previous governor and his workers used alternating methodologies all through the pandemic to account for nursing house fatalities,” the report says.
It additionally cites testimony from ex-Cuomo coverage advisor Jim Malatras, who stated Cuomo and Secretary to the Governor Melissa DeRosa would edit experiences.
A Cuomo spokesperson responded, partly, “What the report does affirm…is that out-of-facility nursing house tabulations have been initially withheld attributable to official issues over accuracy…The report additionally, for the primary time, admits that it was the federal authorities — not state governments — that first determined COVID-positive folks can and needs to be despatched from hospitals to nursing houses.”
The spokesperson added the report is designed to distract from Trump’s “failed pandemic management.”
In the meantime, the lawmakers say the state of New York remains to be withholding paperwork which are very important to their investigation and will form future laws to verify a tragedy like this by no means occurs once more.
