Monday, February 15, 2021

15 February 2021: Governor Cuomo Claims "There's Nothing to Investigate"; Backlash to Cuomo's Virtual Press Conference

Cuomo blames 'politics,' fails to address nursing home cover-up admission

After days of silence, Governor Cuomo held his first press conference following the bombshell confirmation he and his administration covered up the full extent of COVID-19 deaths at New York's nursing homes while his 25 March 2020 directive was in effect. Would he be contrite? Would he offer sincerity? This article describes what he was:

An unapologetic Gov. Cuomo doubled down on a litany of past excuses Monday as he blamed "politics" for the spiraling scandal that's engulfed his administration since The Post revealed his top aide admitted they hid from elected officials and the public the true number of nursing-home residents killed by COVID-19.

During a virtual news conference at which he declined to take a question from The Post, Cuomo claimed that "there's nothing to investigate" regarding the cover-up to which Secretary to the Governor Melissa DeRosa confessed during a video conference call with Democratic lawmakers last week.

Cuomo never directly addressed DeRosa's recorded remarks in which she admitted "we froze" over whether to come clean to the Legislature — or the public — about nursing home deaths in the face of a Justice Department inquiry.

Governor Cuomo would seem to be banking on the whole thing blowing over and going away, counting on the media outlets over which he has sway to carry him through.

Here's a sampling of other coverage of the press conference:

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