DOJ investigation into top Democrat sends liberals running for cover
The Left is disorganized as it is. But this is utter chaos.
Because a DOJ investigation into a top Democrat sent liberals running for cover.
The U.S. Department of Justice has initiated a criminal investigation into former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, focusing on allegations that he provided false statements to Congress about nursing home deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic. The probe, launched approximately one month ago by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Washington, D.C., was reported by the New York Times on Tuesday, citing two sources familiar with the matter.
Details of the Allegations
The investigation stems from a request by the Republican-led House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, which urged Attorney General Pam Bondi to pursue criminal charges against Cuomo. The committee, chaired by Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.), alleged that Cuomo made “criminally false statements” during a June 11, 2024, interview with the House COVID subcommittee.
Specifically, Comer pointed to a July 6, 2020, New York State Department of Health report, claiming it undercounted nursing home deaths by 46%. Cuomo testified that he had not drafted, reviewed, discussed, or consulted on the report, a claim contradicted by emails showing his aides’ discussions and his own handwritten edits to the document.
The probe centers on a March 25, 2020, directive from Cuomo’s administration that required nursing homes to accept recovering COVID-19 patients without mandated testing for active infections. This policy, revoked on May 10, 2020, is alleged to have contributed to thousands of nursing home admissions or readmissions of sick patients. The final report cited 6,432 nursing home fatalities, while evidence suggests over 9,000 deaths when including hospital cases. Handwritten notes by Cuomo, including a reference to “New York is 6,600?” in a draft, are part of the evidence submitted to the Justice Department.
Responses from Stakeholders
Cuomo’s spokesperson, Rich Azzopardi, stated he was unaware of any investigation, describing the report as “lawfare and election interference.” He said, “We have never been informed of any such matter, so why would someone leak it now? The answer is obvious: This is lawfare and election interference plain and simple — something President Trump and his top Department of Justice officials say they are against.”
Azzopardi added that Cuomo testified “truthfully to the best of his recollection” and offered to address follow-up questions, calling the subcommittee’s actions “transparently political.”
Advocacy groups, such as Voices for Seniors, welcomed the investigation. The group stated on X, “The wheels of justice are finally beginning to turn. For over five years, our movement has been fueled by heartbreak and a single-minded demand for the truth.”
Co-founder Vivian Zayas, whose mother died of COVID-19 in a nursing home in 2020, told the New York Post, “We’re just elated this investigation of Cuomo is going forward. It’s a long-overdue victory for the nursing home families and their loved ones.” Daniel Arbeeny, another advocate whose father died of COVID-19, added, “Cuomo should be held accountable. It’s that simple.”
Context of the Investigation
The investigation coincides with Cuomo’s campaign for New York City mayor, with a recent ad highlighting his pandemic leadership. The ad, titled “Crisis,” states, “It was the greatest health crisis in our history — and when New Yorkers were desperate for leadership, Andrew Cuomo delivered.”
In a Tuesday interview on the Honestly with Bari Weiss podcast, Cuomo defended his policies, asserting, “When you now go back and look at the facts, everything New York state did followed federal guidance.” He dismissed claims of undercounting deaths as “so untrue” and politically motivated, noting that “only 12 states did better” than New York in preventing deaths.
The probe is led by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, who replaced Ed Martin earlier this month. Pirro, a former political rival of Cuomo from the 2006 New York attorney general race, has publicly criticized his nursing home policies. In a 2021 Fox News segment, she stated, “You cannot escape the consequences of your intentional and reckless acts,” and suggested manslaughter or negligent homicide charges.
Political Reactions
The investigation has drawn responses from other mayoral candidates. Queens Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani, a Democratic socialist, stated, “Andrew Cuomo’s career has been defined by corruption and deceit and his lying to Congress about his COVID response is no exception. But Donald Trump cannot be trusted to pursue justice.” City Comptroller Brad Lander wrote on X, “New Yorkers can’t afford four more years of a compromised Mayor kissing Trump’s ass,” while Brooklyn Sen. Zellnor Myrie added, “We cannot trade one compromised mayor for another.”
The Justice Department has not yet commented on the investigation, and further developments are pending.
