The specter of the COVID-19 pandemic may seem to be receding, yet the aftershocks of the stringent measures adopted by numerous government officials in response to it are set to reverberate for years to come.
A prime example of such governmental overreach was the former Governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo, who was a prominent figure in the implementation of the controversial nursing home admission mandate. In a recent development, Cuomo has been criminally referred to the Department of Justice by the House Oversight Committee.
As reported by RedState, the committee made the referral public on a Monday afternoon, stating, "Andrew Cuomo LIED to Congress about his deadly nursing home scandal. Thats why Chairman Comer is re-upping his referral to the DOJ for criminal charges. Seniors in New York DIED under Cuomos must-admit nursing home order." This statement was accompanied by a copy of Oversight Chairman James Comer's (R-KY) succinct letter dated April 21 to Attorney General Pam Bondi.
The letter, which is a critical piece of evidence, reads: "On October 30, 2024, the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic (Select Subcommittee) referred former Governor of the State of New York, Andrew M. Cuomo, for making criminally false statements in violation 18 U.S.C. 1001. To our knowledge, the Biden Administration ignored this referral despite clear facts and evidence. Accordingly, we request you review this referral and take appropriate action. For your reference, the referral is attached to this letter."
The Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic had initially made the referral in October 2024. However, it seems that the Department of Justice, under the leadership of former AG Merrick Garland, did not act upon it. Consequently, the Oversight Committee is urging the DOJ, now under the stewardship of Pam Bondi, to revisit the issue.
This request comes on the heels of a recent move by the Trump administration to revise the government's COVID website concerning the probable origins of the virus.
Cuomo, who was at the helm of New York's governance during the pandemic (before his removal in 2021 due to allegations of sexual misconduct), is infamous for his administration's policies. These policies led to COVID-19 patients being housed in nursing homes, which are home to some of the most susceptible populations. Furthermore, Cuomo is accused of ordering the underreporting of deaths in these nursing homes by excluding patients who died after being transferred to hospitals.
The select subcommittee meticulously documented Cuomo's alleged falsehoods at the time of the initial referral. This included his denial of involvement in the creation of a New York state health report used to deflect criticism of his COVID-19 nursing home policies.
The question that now looms large is whether the Trump DOJ will initiate charges against Cuomo for his alleged lies to Congress.
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