Dem New York State Senator Calls On Cuomo To Apologize for ‘Mishandling’ Information on Nursing Home Deaths
New York State Sen. Rachel May (D) is calling on New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) to apologize for withholding information about the number of deaths in nursing homes due to COVID-19. Cuomo has acknowledged that state…
New York State Sen. Rachel May (D) is calling on New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) to apologize for withholding information about the number of deaths in nursing homes due to COVID-19.
Cuomo has acknowledged that state officials did withhold data on COVID-19 nursing home deaths and that things “should have been done differently.”
However, he stopped short of apologizing for the decision to hold back the data.
In a statement on Tuesday, May wrote, “The people of New York deserve a full and sincere apology from the Governor over the mishandling of this information.”
“I do not believe that his statements yesterday amounted to that. Further, the legislature has been working hard to address the serious underlying failures in our nursing home and long-term care institutions, including bills to address safe staffing levels, family visitation, and ombudsman program reforms,” she continued.
Read the statement below:
The New York Post reported last week that Cuomo’s top aide Melissa DeRosa told state Democratic lawmakers that officials intentionally withheld data after the Department of Justice asked for information on the number of deaths in nursing homes from COVID-19.
“Basically, we froze,” she said, adding, “Because then we were in a position where we weren’t sure if what we were going to give to the Department of Justice, or what we give to you guys, what we start saying, was going to be used against us while we weren’t sure if there was going to be an investigation.”
However, DeRosa later attempted to clarify her statement as she claimed, “We were comprehensive and transparent in our responses to the DOJ, and then had to immediately focus our resources on the second wave and vaccine rollout.”