GOP senators demand probe into Cuomo’s handling of nursing home deaths

GOP senators wrote a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday demanding an investigation into New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s (D) handling of nursing home deaths during the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. 

“That so many people needlessly lost their lives because of the failed policies of Governor Cuomo’s administration—an administration that many have lauded over the past year—is tragic and deserves a full investigation and accounting,” the letter to Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) says.

The letter is signed by nine Republican members of the committee: Sens. Ted Cruz (Texas), Chuck Grassley (Iowa), Lindsey Graham (S.C.), John Cornyn (Texas), Mike Lee (Utah), Josh Hawley (Mo.), Tom Cotton (Ark.), Thom Tillis (N.C.) and Marsha Blackburn (Tenn.).

Cuomo has been under fire after reports showed that his administration waited to report thousands of nursing home deaths after Cuomo told nursing homes at the beginning of the pandemic that they had to accept residents even if they tested positive for the virus. 

“These new revelations, however, that Governor Cuomo’s administration withheld information from the Department of Justice and intentionally misled federal officials to avoid political accountability is more than irresponsible: it is very possibly criminal,” the letter states.

Cuomo has also drawn criticism from members of his own party. On Wednesday, New York state Assemblyman Ron Kim (D) revealed that the governor had threatened him over his criticism of Cuomo’s handling of the pandemic. 

The FBI and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York announced Wednesday that they are investigating the matter and talking to members of Cuomo’s coronavirus task force. 

The letter calls for Durbin to open an investigation and hold hearings on the matter because the “American people deserve to know the extent to which Governor Cuomo and his senior staff violated the civil rights of New York seniors, lied to the Department of Justice about their actions, and violated federal civil and criminal laws in the process.”

Cuomo has refused to apologize for his actions, and his office has said they will work with the Department of Justice in an investigation. 

The Hill has reached out to Cuomo for comment.