13 February 2021: Coverup Scandal Consumes Team Cuomo; President Biden Seems Okay With NY Nursing Home Deaths

Coverup claims engulf Cuomo as scandal over nursing home deaths grows

This article presents a good overview of the reactions to Governor Cuomo's coverup:

The administration's handling of nursing homes is now a full-blown scandal — a stunning reversal for Cuomo, whose early handling of the pandemic and high-profile daily press briefings earned him soaring approval ratings, an Emmy and a book deal.

Now, many fellow Democrats want to write an epilogue.

As Cuomo headed to Washington Friday to meet with President Joe Biden on pandemic response, at least 14 Democrats from the left flank of the state Legislature called for a repeal of the governor's emergency powers — enacted nearly 11 months ago — that have given him nearly unilateral authority during the pandemic. And momentum appears to be growing in the Legislature to exert more oversight.

"It is clear that the expanded emergency powers granted to the Governor are no longer appropriate," lawmakers said in a statement issued Friday morning.

Cuomo was already facing mounting backlash for his handling of the nursing home crisis. The Wednesday call with DeRosa was designed to repair relationships with frustrated Democrats who said Cuomo was shutting them out of the state's response.

It didn't quite go as planned. The article also indicates that President Biden's administration is so-far tolerant of Governor Cuomo's scandal, although it is holding short of endorsing Governor Cuomo.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki was asked during a Friday briefing if Biden, who has touted the importance of transparency for the nation's recovery, felt confident in Cuomo's administration in light of the recent report.

"The president hosted Gov. Cuomo and a bipartisan group of governors and mayors to the White House today to get their perspective from the front lines, not to give anyone a stamp of approval or to seek their stamp of approval," she said.

If President Biden were genuinely interested in promoting unity, initiating federal investigations into the Cuomo administration's policies and practices involving nursing homes in the state would be a good place to start.