WASHINGTON, D.C. (WWNY) – The women who represent the north country in Congress say former Governor Andrew Cuomo needs to be held accountable for nursing home deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic.
On Tuesday, Cuomo testified behind closed doors at a House subcommittee hearing in Washington. He defended himself against claims that his pandemic-era nursing home directives led to needless deaths.
In March 2020, the state required all nursing homes to admit patients who tested positive for COVID-19.
In January 2021, New York Attorney General Letitia James released a report accusing the state health department of underreporting nursing home deaths by as much as 50 percent.
The state acknowledged at least 15,000 long-term care residents died during the pandemic.
In his opening statement, Cuomo said the state only followed directions issued by the federal government and while Democratic states are being investigated, Republican states are not.
North country Congresswomen Elise Stefanik and Claudia Tenney, both Republicans, say Cuomo needs to be held accountable for the deaths.
“This was a long overdue step for those families who are still mourning the loss of their loved ones in New York state. We will continue to fight to deliver justice and accountability and answers for those families who are still grieving,” said Stefanik.
Tenney called Cuomo’s testimony “just one step in the fight to hold disgraced Governor Cuomo and those who aided his criminal behavior accountable. We must deliver justice to the innocent victims and their families and ensure that such a tragic failure in leadership never happens again.”