With Andrew Cuomo considering a return to politics, a potential Democratic opponent is appealing to federal authorities regarding a controversial decree he enforced in nursing homes during the height of the pandemic. City Comptroller and mayoral candidate Brad Lander is asking US health officials to investigate whether Cuomo’s directive on March 25, 2020, mandating nursing homes to admit COVID-19 positive patients discharged from hospitals violated federal policies and guidelines that some experts believe led to numerous elderly deaths.
Lander’s request questions the alignment of Cuomo’s directive with federal guidelines issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) at that time. Citing a congressional subcommittee’s findings that deemed Cuomo’s directive inconsistent with relevant federal guidelines and Cuomo’s testimony that he did not consult with CMS or CDC before or after issuing the directive, Lander is seeking clarification on the directive’s compliance with federal guidelines for public health policy accountability.
A recent House majority report accused Cuomo of medical malpractice and downplaying COVID-related nursing home fatalities in New York during the pandemic, suggesting that he likely made false statements during his testimony. Despite this, investigations conducted by the state Attorney General Letitia James, an external investigator hired by Governor Kathy Hochul, the Department of Justice, and the Manhattan district attorney reportedly found no violations or wrongdoing related to the nursing home directive.
Cuomo’s team dismissed the House GOP report as politically motivated, emphasizing that Cuomo stepped down as governor in 2021 due to sexual misconduct allegations, not pandemic-related issues. Meanwhile, Lander’s inquiry coincides with Cuomo’s public appearances in the city as he ponders entering the mayoral race, with a recent warm reception at a senior citizens’ holiday gathering in East Harlem, indicating lingering support for the former governor among some community members.
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