The House Select Subcommittee focused on the Coronavirus Pandemic has taken steps to refer former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo to the Department of Justice for potential criminal charges linked to his administration’s handling of the Covid pandemic and purported attempts to mislead.
In a letter directed to Attorney General Merrick Garland and sent on Wednesday night, Chairman Brad Wenstrup indicated that the subcommittee is examining how New York State adhered to federal guidelines from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regarding protections for residents in nursing homes and long-term care facilities.
As part of this inquiry, a transcribed discussion with Cuomo took place on June 11. “During the transcribed interview, the Select Subcommittee believes that Mr. Cuomo made false statements about his involvement in and knowledge of the drafting of the July 6 Report.” This report, published by the New York State Department of Health in 2020, was titled “Factors Associated with Nursing Home Infections and Fatalities in New York State During the COVID-19 Global Health Crisis.”
“Accordingly, the Select Subcommittee attaches to this letter a detailed referral for criminal charges against Mr. Cuomo pursuant to 18 USC Section 1001. As explained in the attached referral, Mr. Cuomo made multiple criminally false statements, including that he was neither involved in the drafting nor the review of the July 6 Report,” the letter proceeded. “Documents establish that statement to be false.”
“Mr. Cuomo also testified that he did not have any discussions about the July 6 Report being peer reviewed. Documents show that statement to be false. And Mr. Cuomo testified that he did not know whether the July 6 Report was reviewed by persons outside the NYSDOH. Documents again demonstrate that statement to be false.”
“Mr. Cuomo provided false statements to the Select Subcommittee in what appears to be a conscious, calculated effort to insulate himself from accountability. The Department of Justice should consider Mr. Cuomo’s prior allegedly wrongful conduct when evaluating whether to charge him for the false statements described in the attached.”
