New York Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo on Jan. 19 threatened to sue the administration of soon-to-be President Joe Biden if his state was not given acceptable COVID-19 relief.
Cuomo is demanding a “fair share” of COVID-19 relief funds to help pay off New York’s $15 billion deficit, NY1 reporter Zack Fink tweeted.
NEW: @NYGovCuomo threatens to sue the incoming @JoeBiden Administration if New York State doesn’t get it’s “fair share” of Covid relief aid from Washington.
Biden has pledged $350 Billion in direct aid to states. New York’s deficit is $15 Billion, or 4.3% of that total.
— Zack Fink (@ZackFinkNews) January 19, 2021
Cuomo released a speech laying out his budget proposal for the 2022 fiscal year. He described his administration as “one of the most fiscally responsible administrations in modern political history.”
Cuomo said that the only fair solution is for the federal government to give New York the entire $15 billion, which he described as a “modest request.”
Presenting my Fiscal Year 2022 Executive Budget. Watch live: https://t.co/ohJa3H2tdO
— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) January 19, 2021
Cuomo also blamed President Donald Trump’s administration for New York’s poor performance in responding to COVID-19.
More people have died of COVID-19 in New York than in any other state, and New York had the second-most deaths per capita, according to Statista. (RELATED: ‘People Died Because Of It’: Health Experts Rip Andrew Cuomo’s Report Defending Nursing Home Policy)
The COVID-19 relief plan released by Biden on Jan. 14 would cost $1.9 trillion, while previous plans proposed by Republicans did not include state bailout money.
Republican Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell in May 2020 referred to such legislation as a “blue state bailout.”
Four out of the five states with the worst debt ratios have Democratic governors, according to Forbes. New York has over $290 billion in total liabilities.
