Cuomo spokesman responds to House committee subpoena over COVID-19 nursing home policies: 'Clowns'

Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's spokesman responded to a House committee's subpoena that Cuomo provide testimony over his COVID policies at nursing homes.

Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo speaks during the daily media briefing at the Office of the Governor of the State of New York on June 12, 2020 in New York City. Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed the "Say Their Name" reform legislation, an agenda that calls for better policing standards in New York State in the wake of recent protests and in response to George Floyds death. (Jeenah Moon/Getty Images)

The committee told the former New York governor that the "misguided decision effectively admitted thousands of COVID-19 positive patients into nursing homes, causing predictable but deadly consequences for New York’s most vulnerable."

Azzopardi continued in his statement that Cuomo's policies had previously been reviewed by DOJ leaders under both the Trump and Biden administrations, as well as Congress, and that the subpoena is a "press charade." 

"This is an obvious press charade: they issue a subpoena as a press release," he wrote. 

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"The simple fact remains that this issue has been reviewed three times by the Department of Justice under Trump and Biden, as well as Congress and the Manhattan District Attorney who found no there there [sic]," Azzopardi said in the statement. "New York followed the guidance put forth by the Trump administration in March of 2020 — as did other Democratic and Republican states. If they have a problem with that, they should look in the mirror. Congress knows this, but it’s not about the facts, this is about politics."

Azzopardi provided Fox News Digital with a letter sent by Cuomo's attorney Rita Glavin to Subcommittee Chair Brad Wenstrup, outlining that she had provided four dates for an August interview and that she had not heard back from the office until this week. 

"Pursuant to a conversation with your staff on February 12, 2024, in a February 21, 2024 email we provided four dates (August 6, 7, 13 or 14) that both Governor Cuomo and I are available for such an interview," Glavin wrote in the letter, dated Monday. 

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New York Governor Andrew Cuomo shows off a mask that has both New York Yankees and New York Mets logos during an event at his office in New York, Thursday, March 18, 2021. Cuomo spoke about the return of spectators to performing arts and sporting events, including a limited amount of fans attending baseball games at the start of the season. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, Pool)

"Of course, you have argued — even after leaving office — that the March 25 Order was consistent with CMS and CDC guidance. In addition, you have argued that it was the nursing home staff — not your Administration’s order — that was responsible for the resulting deaths in the nursing homes," Wenstrup continued. 

Azzopardi concluded in his statement that Congress continues to "play politics" with the pandemic while war rages in Ukraine. 

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"Do your job: Ukrainian soldiers are throwing stones at Russian tanks because we haven't sent ammunition, and we still don't have a budget. Instead, they continue to play politics with Covid and weaponize people's pain and loss of loved ones," he wrote. 

Fox News' Greg Norman, Andrea Vacchiano, Tyler Olson, Rich Edson contributed to this report. 

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