Andrew Cuomo is once again under fire as House Republicans push for his criminal prosecution.The former New York Governor and current frontrunner in the New York City mayoral race has been referred to the Justice Department by House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer.
Andrew Cuomo was initially referred in October 2024 by then-Rep. Brad Wenstrup for allegedly providing false statements to Congress. The allegations relate to his handling of nursing home deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a new letter, Comer urged Attorney General Pam Bondi to review the case.
He accused the previous administration of ignoring the earlier referral, despite “clear facts and evidence.” Comer claimed that Andrew Cuomo attempted to cover up his involvement in a controversial 2020 directive.
That directive, issued in March 2020, required nursing homes to admit COVID-19 positive patients. Cuomo’s administration also allegedly prevented those homes from testing patients beforehand.
A state report in July 2020 blamed staff, not policy, for the high death toll. However, Comer said evidence shows Andrew Cuomo directly contributed to writing that report. He argued that Cuomo’s denial of any involvement, under oath, contradicts documents and witness testimony. “Lying to Congress is a federal crime,” Comer said.
New York Attorney General Letitia James had also raised concerns in a 2021 report.
She stated that the Cuomo administration may have undercounted nursing home deaths by up to 50%.
Andrew Cuomo testified before a House subcommittee in 2024, denying responsibility for the report’s drafting or peer review process. Wenstrup later said those claims were proven false by internal communications.
The House investigation into Cuomo’s actions began in May 2023. A subpoena was issued for his testimony, which he provided in June and September 2024.
The Justice Department has not yet commented on whether it will act on the referral against Andrew Cuomo.