Cuomo reverses on in-person Thanksgiving plans with family

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) will change his family’s Thanksgiving plans after receiving backlash, according to a spokesperson.

During a radio interview with WAMC Monday, Cuomo said he planned to have Thanksgiving dinner with his daughters and his mother Matilda Cuomo, 89, The New York Times reported.

“My mom is going to come up and two of my girls,” Cuomo said. “The plans change. But that’s my plan.”

In a reversal, the governor’s plans did change soon after his message got out to the public.

Social media users criticized Cuomo for seemingly defying the same advice he has given to New Yorkers for the past several days, urging residents to avoid holiday travel and congregating in groups larger than 10 people for traditional celebrations to curb the spread of COVID-19.

“His arrogance and hypocrisy knows no bounds,” Republican New York Rep. Elise Stefanik tweeted. “Do as I say, not as I do.”

.@NYGovCuomo is having his 89-year old mother and two daughters to Albany for Thanksgiving.

“The story is, my mom is going to come up and two of my girls. But the plans change.”

He has spent the better half of two weeks telling New Yorkers to stay home for the holiday.

— Bernadette Hogan (@bern_hogan) November 23, 2020

The New York governor has been a vocal lawmaker at the forefront of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He has been lauded for his work delivering daily public health addresses, receiving the “International Emmy Founders Award” for his more than 100 televised briefings.

Simultaneously, his selection for the award has led many to scoff at his institutional praise despite the state’s more than 33,000 COVID-19 deaths and controversial handling of the state’s assisted-living population earlier in the pandemic.

Cuomo posted a tweet Monday evening clarifying that he had changed his decision to have dinner with his daughter, saying, “She is out of state and it’s safer not to travel.”

My daughter isn’t coming to Thanksgiving. She is out of state and it’s safer not to travel.

It’s hard. But I can’t think of a better gesture of love than to say, I’m making the tough choice to keep you & our family safe.

We may be physically apart but we’re spiritually together

— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) November 23, 2020

A spokesperson for the governor’s office told the Times that Cuomo’s statement on WAMC was a well-meaning fib that was caveated by his quote “plans change.”

“Given the current circumstances with COVID, he will have to work through Thanksgiving and will not be seeing them,” said Richard Azzopardi, a senior adviser to the governor.

Azzopardi added, “Don’t tell his mom — she doesn’t know yet.”