Republican New York Rep. Elise Stefanik demanded Democratic New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo be prosecuted after a report released Thursday alleged that his administration withheld the actual number of deaths in nursing homes from coronavirus.
Stefanik released a statement on Twitter saying Cuomo and his team must face prosecution in both state and federal court. The New York Post released a report Thursday which alleged Cuomo’s administration withheld the actual number of nursing home deaths from COVID-19 due to concerns that federal prosecutors would use the numbers against them.
“Governor Cuomo, the secretary to the governor, and his senior team must be prosecuted immediately – both by the attorney general of New York state and the U.S. Department of Justice,” Stefanik said in a statement after the report was released. “This bombshell admission of a cover-up and the remarks by the secretary to the governor indicating intent to obstruct any federal investigation is a stunning and criminal abuse of power.”
My Statement on the bombshell @nypost reporting on Cuomo’s cover-up pic.twitter.com/brOrGZjeBo
— Elise Stefanik (@EliseStefanik) February 12, 2021
Secretary to the Governor Melissa DeRosa, one of Cuomo’s top aides, made the admission during a video conference call with New York state Democratic leaders, according to the Post, saying, “we froze” when former President Donald Trump began criticizing Cuomo’s handling of coronavirus in New York nursing homes. (RELATED: Cuomo Administration Hid Nursing Home Deaths To Keep Feds In The Dark: Report)
New York State Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt has also called for an investigation, Fox News reported.
“Instead of apologizing or providing answer to the thousands of New York families who lost loved ones, the governor’s administration made apologies to politicians behind closed doors for the ‘political inconvenience’ this scandal has caused them,” Ortt said in a statement.
Governor Cuomo and his administration must be investigated from top to bottom and he must be stripped of his emergency powers.
Justice needs to be brought for the grieving families who have been ignored to protect Governor Cuomo and his Democrat allies in the Legislature. pic.twitter.com/N4B2c77u3w
— Rob Ortt (@SenatorOrtt) February 12, 2021
Cuomo is scheduled to meet with President Joe Biden Friday to discuss COVID relief.