House Republicans Urge Charges Against Andrew Cuomo for Lying to Congress

WASHINGTON — House Republicans are calling on Attorney General Pam Bondi to prosecute former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo for allegedly making “criminally false statements” to Congress regarding his handling of nursing home deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic. The request follows claims of “overwhelming evidence” that Cuomo misrepresented data related to an audit he oversaw.

The House Oversight Committee reiterated their stance on Cuomo’s prosecution, referencing their prior efforts to hold him accountable for contributing to a seemingly misleading report about nursing home fatalities. “Andrew Cuomo is a man with a history of corruption and deceit, now caught red-handed lying to Congress during the Select Subcommittee’s investigation into the COVID-19 nursing home tragedy in New York,” said Oversight Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) in a statement.

Comer emphasized that this wasn’t merely an error but a “calculated cover-up by a man seeking to shield himself from responsibility for the devastating loss of life in New York’s nursing homes.” He stated, “Cuomo must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law” for lying three times to Congress, charges that can result in a maximum five-year prison sentence for each count. He added that the committee would “fully cooperate” with any future Department of Justice (DOJ) investigation into Cuomo.

In March 2020, Cuomo issued a directive that required recovering COVID-19 patients to be admitted to nursing homes, a move criticized for lacking mandatory testing protocols that would have identified asymptomatic infections capable of endangering residents. By the time the order was rescinded in May, thousands had been admitted or readmitted to these facilities. This controversial policy has come under scrutiny as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had warned of the risks of asymptomatic spread just days before the directive.

Cuomo, in response to the accusations, previously filed a request for the DOJ to investigate Republican Congressman Brad Wenstrup (R-Ohio) for allegedly colluding with outside parties against him, asserting that the investigation exceeded the Subcommittee’s jurisdiction.

“This interrogation far exceeded the Subcommittee’s jurisdiction and appears to have been an improper effort to advantage the interests of private litigants against Governor Cuomo, warranting investigation by the Department of Justice,” read a letter sent by Cuomo’s attorneys.

Rich Azzopardi, a spokesman for Cuomo, characterized Republican efforts as “a meritless press release that was nonsense last year and is even more so now.” Azzopardi contended that these referrals are politically motivated attempts at interference disguised as legislative actions.

Cuomo has vehemently denied any wrongdoing regarding the July 2020 nursing home report published by the New York State Department of Health, which purportedly downplayed the number of fatalities with controversial figures, noting that he had not drafted or consulted anyone on it. Emails obtained by subcommittee staff suggest otherwise, showing Cuomo aides discussing his involvement in drafting the audit.

Investigations have underscored significant discrepancies between Cuomo’s testimony and the evidence presented, with some revealing his direct involvement in editing the report.

Following the House committee’s probe, the New York State Assembly Judiciary Committee’s impeachment report corroborated allegations of Cuomo’s interference in the nursing home reporting process to mitigate political fallout.