This timeline entry was retroactively added on 22 November 2021, based on the findings of the New York State Assembly's impeachment probe report.
- Impeachment Investigation Report to Judiciary Committee Chair Charles Lavine and the New York State Assembly Judiciary Committee
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The following excerpt describes a meeting between Andrew M. Cuomo and a "senior Executive Chamber official" and representatives of Penguin Random House (PRH) regarding Cuomo's draft pandemic "leadership" book, the publishing rights for which would soon be going to auction.
On July 6, 2020, then-Governor Cuomo and a senior Executive Chamber official participated in a meeting with PRH representatives concerning the content of his Book. As discussed below, July 6, 2020 is the same date that the DOH Report regarding the effect of COVID-19 on nursing home residents was released. A PRH representative reported that on the call, it was made clear to the then-Governor that he would be on a strict deadline to publish the Book before the 2020 presidential election, and that the then-Governor and senior Executive Chamber official assured PRH that they would meet the deadline.
Though not identified, other information in the report suggests the "senior Executive Chamber official" is Secretary to the Governor Melissa DeRosa.
DeRosa was also directly involved in editing the New York Department of Health's 6 July 2020 report that concealed the full extend of COVID deaths among New York's nursing home residents during the period the Cuomo administration's deadly 25 March 2020 directive was in effect. Concealing the full extent of those deaths would give the false appearance Andrew M. Cuomo's policies were more successful than they really were. The pending book deal would allow Cuomo to personally profit from the intentional deception.
