Andrew Cuomo May be Prosecuted After Lying About Killing Seniors During COVID
A Republican-led House panel has referred former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo to the Department of Justice for potential prosecution, alleging he lied to Congress about his role in a state report on COVID nursing home deaths.
Cuomo was reportedly responsible for killing thousands of nursing home residents after putting people infected with COVID in their nursing homes without their consent.
The referral, initially made by the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic in October 2024, accuses Cuomo of making “criminally false statements” during a June 2024 closed-door testimony. The subcommittee, chaired by former Rep. Brad Wenstrup, R-Ohio, claims Cuomo falsely denied involvement in drafting or reviewing a July 2020 New York State Department of Health report that downplayed nursing home deaths and deflected blame onto staff. Documents and witness testimony, including emails and handwritten notes allegedly in Cuomo’s handwriting, suggest he reviewed, edited, and drafted portions of the report, contradicting his testimony.
“Andrew Cuomo is a man with a history of corruption and deceit, now caught red-handed lying to Congress,” House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer said in a statement. “This wasn’t a slip-up—it was 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.”
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Comer emphasized that lying to Congress is a federal crime and urged the DOJ to prosecute Cuomo “to the fullest extent of the law.”
The allegations stem from a controversial March 2020 directive under Cuomo’s administration that barred nursing homes from rejecting patients based solely on a COVID-19 diagnosis. Critics argue this policy led to thousands of deaths by exposing vulnerable residents to the virus.
By the end of the pandemic, over 15,000 long-term care residents in New York died, a figure significantly higher than initially reported by the state. A January 2021 report by New York Attorney General Letitia James found that Cuomo’s administration underreported nursing home deaths by as much as 50%.
Cuomo’s spokesperson, Richard Azzopardi, defended the former governor, calling the referral a “taxpayer-funded farce” and an “illegal use of Congress’s investigative authority.” Azzopardi maintained that Cuomo testified he did not recall having a role in the report and accused the committee of lying in their referral and misrepresenting facts.
The referral carries no legal weight, and the DOJ has discretion over whether to pursue charges. Former federal prosecutors have noted that such referrals rarely lead to prosecution, particularly when testimony hinges on claims of faulty memory, as Cuomo’s does.
Cuomo’s handling of nursing homes during the pandemic has long been contentious. In July 2021, the Biden administration’s DOJ declined to open a civil rights investigation into New York’s nursing home policies, despite calls from families and lawmakers to probe the deaths of over 15,000 residents. The decision drew criticism from those who argued it shielded Cuomo from accountability.
The renewed referral comes at a sensitive time for Cuomo, who is considered a potential candidate for New York City mayor in 2025. He resigned as governor in August 2021 amid sexual harassment allegations, which he denies.
Cuomo’s legal team has countered with their own referral to the DOJ, accusing the subcommittee of abusing its power and colluding with private parties, including a Fox News personality involved in a dismissed lawsuit against Cuomo.
The House Oversight Committee stated it is prepared to cooperate with any DOJ investigation into Cuomo’s actions. Neither the DOJ nor Cuomo’s representatives immediately responded to requests for comment.