New York Democrat lawmaker alleges threatening phone call from Cuomo
FOX News correspondent Bryan Llenas joins 'Special Report' with more on the developing story.
On March 25, 2020, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo sentenced tens of thousands of New York’s most vulnerable residents to die. The now-infamous directive, sent to nursing home administrators, directors of nursing, and hospital discharge planners, forced nursing homes to accept patients who had either contracted COVID-19 or had been exposed to others infected with the virus.
Over the following months frustrated New Yorkers demanded answers about the circumstances that led to the deaths of their loved ones. This determined group of grieving families stood firm and vowed to do what politicians and their allies in the mainstream media refused to do—hold Cuomo accountable.
One of these New Yorkers is Fox News’ Senior Meteorologist Janice Dean. Last spring, Dean lost both her mother- and father-in-law as a result of Cuomo’s incompetence and negligence.
While Gov. Cuomo secured lucrative book deals, lavished in the praise of a sycophantic mainstream media, and even received an Emmy from left-wing Hollywood for his TV press briefings, Dean and others were pressuring the governor for answers.
Governor Cuomo—to put it lightly—was less than forthcoming.
Last month’s shocking report from liberal New York Attorney General Letitia James revealed how New York’s Department of Health underreported nursing home deaths by as much as 50 percent. The Associated Press reported that nearly 15,000 nursing home patients died from the coronavirus—a dramatic increase from the approximately 8,500 deaths that the state previously disclosed.
New allegations also show how Cuomo’s office engaged in a cover-up of the true death toll in New York’s nursing homes out of political expedience.
Melissa DeRosa—a top Cuomo aide—stated in a private call with Democratic legislators that the state withheld the true death toll out of fear that then-President Trump’s Justice Department would launch an investigation.
After months of growing public pressure, the nation is now seeing the true cost of Andrew Cuomo’s disastrous "leadership."
Calls for the governor to resign have grown louder. A bipartisan effort to remove Cuomo’s emergency authority to respond to the pandemic is underway. As New Yorkers learn the true extent of Cuomo’s mismanagement, his job approval rating has plummeted.
More from Opinion
Amidst this backlash, Cuomo still refuses to accept any blame or even apologize—going as far as to blame nursing home staff for the spread of the virus.
Some of the most at-risk and vulnerable New Yorkers died under his watch but Cuomo the typical career politician will never come clean.
Citizens of New York deserve far better—Cuomo must, at last, be held accountable.
In addition to stripping him of his ill-gotten Emmy, the governor must face political consequences for his failures.
Without question, there must be a thorough independent investigation into the governor’s handling of the pandemic and any alleged actions taken by his office to mislead the public as part of a cover-up.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE OPINION NEWSLETTER
The truth is that at any other time in recent history, Cuomo’s fiasco would warrant a resignation by the Governor. Since this is a remote possibility, Cuomo should face impeachment by the state legislature.
State Assemblyman Kieran Lalor on Tuesday announced that a petition to impeach Governor Cuomo reached 18,000 signatures—just three days after the petition was launched.
The petition states that while New York lacks a process wherein citizens can directly remove the governor via a recall—like the one Gavin Newsom faces in California—the New York State Constitution outlines an impeachment process by elected representatives for executives who have engaged in "willful and corrupt conduct." For the good of millions of New Yorkers, this process should move forward.
Despite being one of the biggest political stories in the nation this week, the liberal media continues to defend or otherwise downplay Cuomo’s horrendous record during this pandemic. After Tuesday night’s CNN town hall with President Joe Biden, viewers called out host Anderson Cooper for lobbing softball questions while ignoring the growing scandal surrounding Andrew Cuomo. Then-candidate Biden praised Cuomo in April by describing his COVID-19 response as a "lesson in leadership." Fast-forwarding to today, could Joe Biden have been any more wrong about this?
While Cuomo seeks to tighten his grasp on whatever political power—if any—he has left, it’s clear New York desperately needs new leadership.
If Cuomo thinks that he can avoid political defeat with the help of a deep-blue electorate or a fawning media, he should look to his own family’s history.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
After all, three-term Governor Mario Cuomo—Andrew’s father—lost in 1994 to then-unknown Republican challenger George Pataki.
After years of failed Democrat leadership in the Empire State, there’s never been a better time for history to repeat itself.
Best of Opinion
Get the recap of top opinion commentary and original content throughout the week.
By entering your email and clicking the Subscribe button, you agree to the Fox News Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, and agree to receive content and promotional communications from Fox News. You understand that you can opt-out at any time.