A GOP-led House panel sent a letter Monday asking Attorney General Pam Bondi to prosecute former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) for allegedly lying to the panel investigating his administration’s COVID-19 pandemic-era nursing home policies.
The letter renewed a referral made last fall by former Rep. Brad Wenstrup (R-Ohio), who was chair of the now-defunct Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis. The Justice Department, led at the time by former Attorney General Merrick Garland, seemingly ignored the committee’s referral.
Comer’s move to resurrect the effort suggests Republicans think the Trump administration will be more willing to look into the actions of the former governor, who resigned in 2021 in the wake of multiple sexual misconduct allegations, which he denied. Cuomo is now the leading candidate for New York City mayor.
According to the referral, Cuomo told members of the House panel investigating the coronavirus pandemic that he was not involved in the review or drafting of a state health department report that was used to deflect criticism of his administration’s pandemic-era nursing home policies.
The report blamed staff for bringing the virus inside nursing homes and causing excess COVID-19 deaths, rather than the Cuomo administration’s policies.
“Let’s be clear: lying to Congress is a federal crime. Mr. Cuomo must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. The House Oversight Committee is prepared to fully cooperate with the Justice Department’s investigation into Andrew Cuomo’s actions and ensure he’s held to account,” Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) said in a statement.
Cuomo spokesperson Rich Azzopardi said the move was a political stunt.
“This is nothing more than a meritless press release that was nonsense last year and is even more so now,” Azzopardi said. “As the DOJ constantly reminds people, this kind of transparent attempt at election interference and law-fare violates their own policies.”
Updated at 9:15 p.m. EDT