Cuomo referred to Trump DOJ by House Republican for criminal prosecution
House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chair James Comer, R-Ky., has referred former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo to President Donald Trump’s Justice Department for criminal prosecution. This move comes after Cuomo was first referred to the Biden Justice Department for criminal prosecution in October 2024 by former Rep. Brad Wenstrup, then-chairman of the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic. Wenstrup alleged that Cuomo made “multiple criminally false statements” to Congress regarding his handling of the 2020 COVID-19 nursing home death scandal.
In a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi on Monday, Comer expressed his concerns that the Biden Administration had ignored the initial referral despite clear facts and evidence. He requested that Bondi review the referral and take appropriate action. Comer stated, “Andrew Cuomo is a man with a history of corruption and deceit, now caught red-handed lying to Congress during the Select Subcommittee’s investigation into the COVID-19 nursing home tragedy in New York. This wasn’t a slip-up – it was a calculated cover-up by a man seeking to shield himself from responsibility for the devastating loss of life in New York’s nursing homes.”
Cuomo, the current frontrunner in the New York City Democratic mayoral primary, has denied the allegations, with his spokesman, Richard Azzopardi, dismissing Comer’s letter as “nothing more than a meritless press release.” Azzopardi claimed that the referral was a transparent attempt at election interference and violated DOJ policies. However, Comer emphasized the importance of holding Cuomo accountable for his actions and ensuring that justice is served.
The accusations against Cuomo stem from a directive issued by his administration on March 25, 2020, which mandated that nursing homes admit or re-admit potentially COVID-19 positive patients without testing them for the virus. This directive has been linked to excess COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes, with Cuomo allegedly playing a role in drafting and editing a report that sought to shift blame onto nursing home staff.
Despite Cuomo’s testimony to the contrary, documents obtained by the select subcommittee indicate that Cuomo was directly involved in the drafting and review of the report. New York State Attorney General Letitia James also raised concerns about undercounted nursing home deaths in a January 2021 investigative report.
It remains to be seen whether the Justice Department, now under Trump’s control, will pursue action against Cuomo. The DOJ recently motioned to dismiss an indictment brought under Biden against current New York City Mayor Eric Adams, indicating that the outcome of such cases can be unpredictable. As the investigation unfolds, it will be crucial to ensure that justice is served and that those responsible for misconduct are held accountable for their actions.
