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O’MARA SAYS CUOMO, LEGISLATIVE ALLIES ‘CIRCLING THE WAGONS’ ON NURSING HOMES SCANDAL: Reacts to today’s closed-door meeting between Cuomo administration and top legislative Democrats
February 10, 2021
!["What legislative Democrats need to do is to call for testimony and full records from Governor Cuomo and his inner circle, under subpoena, in public," said Senator O'Mara. "What legislative Democrats need to do is to call for testimony and full records from Governor Cuomo and his inner circle, under subpoena, in public,”](/sites/default/files/styles/760x377/public/article/main-image/nursing_home_investigation_3.png?itok=3NvesN2g)
Albany, N.Y., February 10—State Senator Tom O’Mara (R,C,I-Big Flats) today denounced a closed-door meeting between top Cuomo administration officials and key legislative Democrats to discuss New York’s ongoing nursing homes scandal.
O’Mara, the Ranking Member on the Senate Investigations Committee, said, “It’s called circling the wagons. It’s called getting everybody on the same page. It’s about making sure that everyone sticks to the same script. It’s a perfect example of the failure of one-party government in New York State. Top legislative Democrats going behind closed doors with the Cuomo administration to discuss the nursing homes scandal is another stonewalling session that has nothing to do with revealing the truth, only with continuing to hide it. What legislative Democrats need to do is to call for testimony and full records from Governor Cuomo and his inner circle, under subpoena, in public.”
Governor Andrew Cuomo called a meeting late today between members of his inner circle and key legislative Democrats – including the heads of the Senate and Assembly committees on Aging, Health, and Investigations and Government Operations – to discuss the nursing homes tragedy.
In the weeks following a January 28 report from state Attorney General Letitia James that revealed significant under-reporting by the Cuomo administration on COVID-19-related nursing home deaths, O’Mara and his Senate GOP colleagues have been pushing legislative Democrats to immediately issue subpoenas to top administration officials to compel testimony and obtain all records related to the crisis.
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Go to Newsroom!["Governor Cuomo continues to sit in Albany and dictate order after order without any regard for legislative checks and balances, or local input. It has to end,” said Senator O'Mara. Governor Cuomo continues to sit in Albany and dictate order after order without any regard for legislative checks and balances, or local input. It has to end.”](/sites/default/files/styles/760x377/public/article/main-image/floor-candid_1.jpg?itok=6wTTX_DZ)
!["Until New York State revises this mandate and reduces the distancing requirement – a move now supported by federal health leaders, many physicians and public health experts, as well as scientific studies and data -- students in too many districts will remain shut out from returning to their classrooms full time," area legislators wrote to Governor Cuomo today. Until New York State revises this mandate and reduces the distancing requirement – a move now supported by federal health leaders, many physicians and public health experts, as well as scientific studies and data -- students in too many districts will remain shut out from returning to their classrooms full time.](/sites/default/files/styles/760x377/public/article/main-image/capitolpanorama_0_1_30.jpg?itok=zg9g0SIY)
![Senator O'Mara shares his weekly perspective on issues facing New York State government. Senator O'Mara shares his weekly perspective on issues facing New York State government.](/sites/default/files/styles/760x377/public/article/main-image/chambergavel_70_6.jpg?itok=uUDwhuDZ)