The Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic referred former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo for criminal prosecution.

“Evidence suggests Andrew Cuomo knowingly and willfully made materially false statements about New York’s COVID-19 nursing home disaster and the ensuing cover-up. The Department of Justice must immediately charge Andrew Cuomo with making false statements to Congress,” the subcommittee stated.

“Andrew Cuomo repeatedly lied to Congress, and he must be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. Both witness testimony and new documents serve as evidence that the former Governor made false statements to the Select Subcommittee during our COVID-19 nursing home investigation. This deliberate and self-serving attempt to avoid accountability for the thousands of lives lost in New York nursing homes during the pandemic will not stand. If his prior criminal activity is any reflection, Andrew Cuomo is not a man of principle, and his willingness to lie to the Select Subcommittee is unfortunately a continuance of this behavior. Plain and simple, making false statements to Congress is a federal crime. We look forward to cooperating fully with the Justice Department’s investigation into Andrew Cuomo’s wrongdoings,” Chairman Rep. Brad Wenstrup (R-OH) said.

From the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic:

Overwhelming evidence uncovered by the Select Subcommittee proves that Mr. Cuomo reviewed, edited, and even drafted portions of a purportedly independent and peer-reviewed New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) Report that was used to combat criticism of his Administration’s pandemic-era nursing home policies. This Report low-balled nursing home fatalities and blamed nursing home staff for causing excess COVID-19 deaths. During Mr. Cuomo’s transcribed interview in June, he testified (1) he was not involved in the review or drafting of this Report, (2) he did not have any discussions about a peer-review of the Report, and (3) he did not have any knowledge of individuals outside the NYSDOH reviewing the Report. Each of these statements are demonstrably false. The Select Subcommittee recommends the DOJ review the evidence laid out in the criminal referral and immediately evaluate criminal charges against Mr. Cuomo.

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* Images from Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic X Post *

Per Reuters:

Criminal referrals from congressional panels are mostly symbolic; the Justice Department prosecutes cases at its discretion.

Lawyers representing Cuomo sent a letter to the Justice Department on Wednesday requesting an investigation into the subcommittee for potential abuse of power, according to a copy of the letter reviewed by Reuters.

Rich Azzopardi, a spokesperson for Cuomo, wrote in an email to Reuters that the subcommittee’s referral was a “taxpayer-funded farce” that is “an illegal use of Congress’ investigative authority.”

The subcommittee referral focuses on closed-door testimony Cuomo gave the panel earlier this year, according to the Times.

Azzopardi said that Cuomo told the committee he could not recall reviewing a New York state Health Department report on thousands of nursing home deaths during the pandemic, which deflected blame away from his government.

But the Times reported earlier this year that Cuomo had written portions of the report, citing emails and congressional documents.

Azzopardi said Cuomo does not dispute the authenticity of any emails or documents showing that he had, in fact, reviewed the report. But he stood by his testimony to the subcommittee that he didn’t recall providing input on the document prepared four years prior to his testimony.

 

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