Gov Cuomo Denies Causing Nursing Home Deaths

Governor Andrew Cuomo is facing the most serious challenge to his leadership since the pandemic began. And his response has been… combative.

At issue is a March 2020 directive requiring nursing homes to accept patients who had tested positive for COVID-19. Critics argue this policy seeded the virus in the most vulnerable populations, leading to thousands of preventable deaths. The Cuomo administration has denied any causal connection.

Making matters worse: recent reports that the administrations own data showed significantly higher nursing home death tolls than what was publicly reported. State Attorney General Letitia James released findings suggesting deaths may have been undercounted by as much as 50 percent.

Cuomos defense has evolved. First the administration said the policy followed federal guidance. Then they blamed nursing homes for not following proper protocols. Then a top aide acknowledged to state lawmakers that the administration had withheld data from legislators and the public out of concern it could be used against them by the Trump Justice Department.

That admission – that data was withheld for political reasons while families demanded answers about their loved ones deaths – has infuriated both Republicans and Democrats. State legislators from both parties are calling for hearings. Some are calling for Cuomos emergency powers to be stripped.

The governor who became a national figure for his daily briefings and who wrote a book about leadership during the pandemic is now fighting for his political survival. The Emmy he received for his television performances feels like a cruel joke in retrospect.

What happened in New York’s nursing homes is a tragedy that demands accountability. Whether Cuomo provides it or is forced to remains to be seen.