Tedisco Joins Fox News Janice Dean, Families in Bi-Partisan Coalition to Continue Push for Justice for Nursing Home Victims

Senator Jim Tedisco (R,C-Glenville) today joined Senator Sue Serino, Assemblyman Ron Kim, and their legislative colleagues from both sides of the aisle at a rally at the state Capitol in advance of Friday, March 25^th, the two-year anniversary of disgraced former Governor Andrew Cuomo’s notorious executive order mandating COVID-19-postive patients be placed into nursing homes.

Tedisco and his colleagues were joined by Fox News Senior Meteorologist Janice Dean, who lost her in-laws who were residents of state-regulated elder care facilities, to the coronavirus. Senator Tedisco also was joined by Dan Mathias of Clifton Park, who lost his mother Doris to COVID in a Buffalo nursing home, and many other families who lost their loved ones in nursing homes.

Tedisco and the bi-partisan coalition were unified in their call for the passage of legislation (S.2067/A.3162) for an independent, bi-partisan investigation with subpoena power into the Cuomo/Hochul Administration’s handling of the pandemic as it relates to nursing homes. The group also pushed for the passage of a bill that has been introduced to mark March 25^th as “We Care Remembrance Day” (S. 8217), after the Senate’s Supermajority refused to advance a resolution by the same name last year. 

During today’s session debate on the Senate Floor. Senator Tedisco offered his bill for a bi-partisan investigation as an amendment. The Senate Majority voted it down 43-20.  The Senate Majority also voted down an amendment establishing “We Care Remembrance Day” by a 43-20 vote.

Here’s a link to download or view Senator Tedisco’s remarks: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/l2pgao7wlk3t41f/AABVwVyd94IdQm9bNphBbOpqa?dl=0&preview=Tedisco-SS-032322-S968.mp4, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0zvSWZ1R18

“The marking of March 25^th, has sadly and tragically become a new ‘day of infamy’ in New York State to reflect on the day two years ago when former Governor Cuomo issued an executive order mandating COVID-positive patients be placed into nursing homes and to remember the 15,000 lives lost to the virus.   Instead of following the real science, our former governor use of ‘Cuomo Science’ doomed thousands of our citizens to death and neither he nor his former henchmen have been held accountable for it. We remember that every life lost was more than just a statistic, these individuals were someone’s spouse, parent, grandparent and sibling and they deserve justice. The legislation Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt, Senator Sue Serino and I are sponsoring establishes March 25^th as an annual ‘We Care Remembrance Day’ as a day that should be set aside in New York State moving forward for solemn reflection of all those souls who needlessly lost their lives,” said Senator Jim Tedisco.