When once-friendly media and fellow Democrats turn on a blue-state governor, it’s time for him to go. The Daily News, the Guardian (UK), and Mayor De Blasio have finally thrown New York Governor Andrew Cuomo under the bus with confirmations of his bad decisions, cover-up, and selfish threats. The term “Watergate” has been over-used since 1974, but not today (Cuomo even had an enemies list) when the facts warrant indictment.
Governor Cuomo was granted broad emergency powers in March 2020, after which he ordered the move of 9,000 elderly patients with COVID from New York hospitals to New York nursing homes. This resulted in 15,000 residents dying but only 8,500 deaths being reported. It is at once a case of bad decision, horrible consequences, and blame-shirking, and a governor touting hero-worthy leadership that was no such thing.
The Greater New York Hospital Association contributed $1,000,000 to Cuomo’s campaign during the 2018 primary, another million to supportive PACs, and $450,000 to New York legislators in 2020. In April 2020, that same group claimed on its web site it had “drafted and aggressively advocated” for legislation in Albany that protected hospitals and their employees from legal consequences “if their corporate decisions killed people during the pandemic” (source: the Guardian).
Two reports surfaced in Albany tying higher coronavirus deaths to Cuomo’s “corporate immunity law” (adopted by 27 other states). Assemblyman Ron Kim (D-NY) released a report showing 77% of all nursing home deaths occurred in states with the “immunity” law. Attorney General Letitia James (D-NY) issued a report alleging higher deaths because immunity “provide[s] financial incentives to for-profit nursing home operators to put residents at risk.”
Cuomo’s top aide, Melissa DeRosa, confessed to legislators the Governor not only hid information about nursing home deaths, but intentionally did so to avoid political and legal consequences: “we were in a position where what we start saying was going to be used against us.” Further, my research found DeRosa’s brother, father, and sister work for Bolton-St. Johns, a Cuomo donor and lobbyist for the Greater New York Hospital Association. So, how bad is it?
The obvious crime is obstruction of justice. DeRosa confessed death rates were reduced so data wouldn’t be “used against us” in a potential or pending investigation by the DOJ. Add to this defrauding the government because Cuomo interfered with a lawful government function (DOJ investigation). And, if Cuomo isn’t guilty of reckless endangerment, strike the crime of recklessly engaging in conduct which creates a substantial risk of serious personal injury to another.
Cuomo is more villainous than Nixon because he caused more New York deaths than the 9-11 terror attacks. The “liberal” media is finally reporting what New York legislators, DOJ, and FBI have turned into a full-scale probe. A Biden DOJ might not indict, and Democrat legislature might not impeach, but New York voters should oust Cuomo in 2022. Lee Zeldin (R-NY), the popular congressman from Long Island, is the favorite to enter the race.
Is Andrew Cuomo too great to fail? If he’s not impeached or indicted, and ends up on CNN or MSNBC, there’s no deterrent to the next bad politician. Nixon screwed up, covered up, and was forced to resign. Clinton screwed, covered up, and is now worth $75,00,000. The Trump allegations had less value than peewee participation trophies. If Cuomo survives, then the elite have no reason to fear the electorate and a government for the people is not long for this world.