Tedisco & Serino: Follow-up New AG Report on Cuomo COVID Cover-up on Nursing Home Deaths with Subpoenas, Independent, Bi-partisan Investigation

On what would have been New York State Health Commissioner Howard Zucker’s appearance before lawmakers to testify at the now delayed Joint Health Budget Hearing, Senator Jim Tedisco (R,C-Glenville) today joined Senator Sue Serino, Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt, Senator Tom O’Mara and other legislative colleagues along with Janice Dean, Fox News Senior Meteorologist, who lost her in-laws who were residents of state-regulated elder care facilities to the coronavirus, for a virtual press conference to call for expedited action in light of the Attorney General’s bombshell new report on the Cuomo Administration’s cover-up of the deaths of thousands of nursing home residents from COVID-19 in nursing homes.

With Commissioner Zucker trying to delay his testimony by several weeks, Senator Tedisco, the Ranking Member of the Mental Health Committee, Senator Serino, Ranking Member of the Aging Committee, and their colleagues are continuing to push for answers and accountability relating to the nearly 13,000 nursing home deaths in our state.  

In September, Tedisco and Serino wrote to Senate Majority Health Chair Gustavo Rivera, Senate Investigations Chair James Skoufis, and Senate Aging Chair Rachel May urging them to use their authority as Committee Chairs to subpoena the Health Department for the nursing home data. The Senate Majority has so far refused to issue any subpoenas to the Cuomo Administration for this information. Senator Tedisco also has authored and sponsors legislation with Majority Democratic Assemblyman Ron Kim (S.2067/A.3162) for an independent, bi-partisan state commission with subpoena power to fully investigate the nursing home deaths.  

Here’s a link to the Facebook Live video: https://fb.watch/3qrsb_0ErN/

“One thing Governor Cuomo’s not going to be getting an Emmy Award for, is transparency, as the Attorney General’s report has begun to lift the Administration’s veil of secrecy that was hiding the real number of nursing home residents who died from COVID-19. Clearly, the Governor’s six-month cover-up and refusal to give us these numbers shows he felt they mattered so he could hide any blame,” said Senator Tedisco. 

“It’s time the Majority stop covering for Cuomo and either issue subpoenas or pass my bipartisan legislation with Majority Democratic Member Ron Kim, Senator Sue Serino and several other Democrats and Republicans for an independent investigation with subpoena power to obtain the metrics and data from the state Health Department so we can get justice and answers for the families who lost loved ones and help prevent something like this from happening again,” said Senator Tedisco.