18 August 2021: Report - Cuomo Nursing Home Deaths Demand Probe

Kathy Hochul should probe Cuomo’s COVID nursing home scandal, report says

This report covers the findings of the nonpartisan Empire Center's "Like Fire Through Dry Grass" report on the Cuomo administration's COVID nursing home deaths scandals and cover-up.

Incoming Gov. Kathy Hochul should order a top-to-bottom probe of the state’s response to the coronavirus pandemic in nursing homes last year under her disgraced boss, Cuomo — the Empire Center for Public Policy study said.

The stinging report by the Empire Center’s Bill Hammond — which also recommends the ouster of Health Commissioner Howard Zucker — recounts the controversy over a Cuomo policy that required nursing homes to admit or re-admit recovering COVID patients discharged from hospitals during the peak of the pandemic last year that critics say contributed to the spread of more infections and deaths.

The analysis — entitled “Like Fire Through Dry Grass” — which is what Cuomo called the spread of COVID among the frail, elderly residents in nursing homes, also explains in great detail how Cuomo and his team deliberately undercounted and covered up the true total of nursing home residents killed by COVID, and even broke the law to block release of the information to the Empire Center, until a judge ordered his team to release it.

“As serious as the sexual harassment allegations are, Cuomo and his team should be held accountable for what happened in the nursing homes. People died and they intentionally lied about the problem for months and months,” Hammond said.

“Hochul needs to clear the air and say, `We will never do that again” and not lie about a public health crisis.”

Hochul has not explained why she has asked New York Health Commissioner Howard Zucker, who allowed the Cuomo administration to doctor reports produced by the state Departent of Health he oversees to conceal the full extent of COVID nursing home deaths in the state, to continue in his position.