Former New York governor Andrew Cuomo is set to testify next week about nursing home deaths during the Covid-19 pandemic. He has agreed to appear publicly before a congressional subcommittee on September 10, The New York Times reports.
Cuomo is expected to face questions regarding the thousands of residents who died in New York’s nursing homes during the pandemic. Ohio representative Brad Wenstrup, a Republican who chairs the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic, emphasized the need for answers, saying, “Andrew Cuomo owes answers to the 15,000 families who lost loved ones in New York’s nursing homes during the Covid-19 pandemic.”
This follows Cuomo's closed-door testimony in June, where he spoke for seven hours before House Republicans after being subpoenaed. On Tuesday, the House subcommittee posted a series of statements on X accusing Cuomo of showing “little remorse” and being “shockingly callous” during his testimony. According to the posts, Cuomo had said, “…let’s say there’s a 3,000 [deaths] differential, 2500. Who cares? What difference does it make in any dimension to anyone about anything?”
Cuomo's administration faced heavy criticism for a policy requiring nursing homes to readmit recovering COVID-19 patients to prevent hospitals from becoming overwhelmed. Additionally, state fatality figures were accused of undercounting the true number of deaths. Cuomo, however, has shifted blame to the federal government, stating in June that the Trump administration should be held accountable for pandemic-related deaths. “I think the federal government failed this nation, and it was abysmal,” Cuomo said. He criticized delays in testing and misleading statements from President Trump.
An independent investigation into Cuomo's handling of the pandemic found that his “top-down” approach, which centralized public health decisions within his office, created confusion. The lack of communication with state and local agencies led to wasted resources and mistrust, particularly in nursing homes, where some 15,000 residents died. The probe, commissioned by current Governor Kathy Hochul in 2022, also noted the anxiety it caused for families.
Despite the criticisms, the report by consulting firm Olson Group acknowledged that while nursing home policies were “rushed and uncoordinated,” they were based on the scientific understanding available at the time. The report also praised the state's vaccination program for nursing homes, and noted that fatality rates in New York’s nursing homes were ultimately in line with national figures.
Cuomo resigned in August 2021 amid sexual harassment allegations, which he has denied. Governor Kathy Hochul, who succeeded him, was reelected the following year.
