Federal authorities have reportedly initiated a criminal probe targeting Andrew Cuomo, the former governor of New York, over accusations that he misled Congress concerning the number of COVID-19 fatalities in state-run nursing homes during the height of the pandemic.
The investigation, which centers around Cuomo, now a leading candidate in the upcoming New York City mayoral race, began roughly four weeks ago, according to the New York Times, which cited two individuals familiar with the case. The inquiry is being handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Washington, D.C.
At the time the probe was launched, the D.C. office was under the direction of Ed Martin, who has since been succeeded by Jeanine Pirro earlier this month.
The inquiry follows a request by a Republican-led congressional panel urging Attorney General Pam Bondi to bring criminal charges against Cuomo. The panel claims he made “criminally false statements” during a June 11, 2024, appearance before the House subcommittee investigating the COVID-19 response.
House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer of Kentucky said there was “overwhelming evidence” that Cuomo had overseen a report dated July 6, 2020, which allegedly downplayed the real death toll in New York’s eldercare institutions during the pandemic by nearly half.
Comer had previously called for Cuomo’s prosecution last year, but the push was ultimately dismissed by then-Attorney General Merrick Garland, who was appointed by President Joe Biden.
In response, Cuomo’s spokesperson Rich Azzopardi told The New York Post that they had not been notified about any such investigation and criticized the development as politically motivated. “We have never been informed of any such matter, so why would someone leak it now?” he said in a statement. “The answer is obvious: This is lawfare and election interference plain and simple — something President Trump and his top Department of Justice officials say they are against.”
Azzopardi added, “Governor Cuomo testified truthfully to the best of his recollection about events from four years earlier, and he offered to address any follow-up questions from the Subcommittee — but from the beginning this was all transparently political.”

{Matzav.com}