DOJ Probes Andrew Cuomo Over Alleged COVID-19 Lies in NYC Mayoral Race

The U.S. Department of Justice has launched a criminal probe into former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, investigating allegations that he misled Congress about his COVID-19 decisions, particularly those tied to the state’s nursing home policies. The inquiry, initiated roughly a month ago, centers on whether Cuomo deliberately provided false statements during a House Oversight Committee investigation into the high number of nursing home deaths during the pandemic.

In March 2020, Cuomo’s administration issued a controversial directive preventing nursing homes from refusing COVID-positive patients, a move intended to ease hospital overcrowding. Over 9,000 recovering coronavirus patients were sent to nursing homes, a policy later reversed amid concerns it fueled deadly outbreaks. A 2022 New York state comptroller report revealed the state’s Health Department, under Cuomo, underreported nursing home deaths by up to 50% at times, raising questions about transparency.

Cuomo, now a frontrunner in the New York City Democratic mayoral primary, has denied wrongdoing, claiming his testimony was truthful and based on CDC guidance. His spokesperson, Rich Azzopardi, called the investigation “lawfare and election interference,” suggesting political motives behind the probe’s timing. This comes as the Trump administration recently dropped corruption charges against NYC Mayor Eric Adams, Cuomo’s rival in the mayoral race.

House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer has pushed for Cuomo’s prosecution, accusing him of a “calculated cover-up” to dodge accountability for the nursing home tragedy. The investigation could reshape the mayoral race and reignite debates over pandemic-era leadership.