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In a significant admission, former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo acknowledged that he did see the report detailing the number of nursing home deaths from the coronavirus and that he may have altered it. This followed his previous testimony to Congress, which contradicted this new statement. The admission came ahead of the second New York City mayoral debate, where Cuomo is a leading candidate. Despite acknowledging he may have made language changes to the report, Cuomo defended its accuracy and accused the political process of politicizing the issue. The Trump Department of Justice is currently investigating whether he lied to Congress about his decisions during the pandemic.
Cuomo, who resigned his governorship in 2021 amid sexual harassment allegations, is the leading candidate running for New York City mayor. However, he continues to face criticism over the misconduct allegations as well as claims that he altered a report to undercount the number of nursing home deaths. During the first mayoral debate, fellow Democrat opponents blasted Cuomo for allegedly lying to Congress, an allegation pushed by Republicans that the Trump administration is currently investigating.
The Trump Department of Justice opened a criminal investigation in May to determine whether Cuomo lied to Congress about his decisions during the pandemic while serving as governor. Despite this, Cuomo continued to maintain that the report in question was accurate, dismissing accusations of undercounting nursing home deaths. Although he admitted on Wednesday to incorrectly testifying about not seeing the report and possibly making changes, he still insisted that the numbers were correct.
Cuomo reiterated that New York state followed the federal guidance on nursing home protocols, which evolved over time as federal officials gained more information. He also noted that New York’s rate of nursing home deaths was ranked 38th out of 50 states, emphasizing that only 12 states had a lower rate. This admission has raised questions about the transparency and accuracy of the data, particularly given the ongoing political and legal scrutiny.
The upcoming second mayoral debate is expected to feature intense questioning from opponents and moderators about both the nursing home report and other controversies surrounding Cuomo’s leadership. The outcome of this debate may significantly influence the trajectory of the mayoral race, particularly given the complex political landscape and the current investigations into his past decisions.