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DOJ Opens Criminal Investigation Into Andrew Cuomo Over COVID Testimony to Congress [WATCH]

The U.S. Department of Justice has launched a criminal investigation into former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo for allegedly making false statements to Congress regarding his administration’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. A source familiar with the matter confirmed the probe to Fox News.

The inquiry, led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Washington, D.C., reportedly began about a month ago.

It follows pressure from senior officials inside the Department of Justice to dismiss a separate corruption case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams. The DOJ has not commented publicly on the investigation.

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The development places the Trump administration in the unusual position of closing a criminal case involving Mayor Adams while initiating a new case against Cuomo—Adams’ political rival.

Cuomo is currently running in the Democratic primary for New York City mayor, while Adams is seeking re-election as an independent.

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Cuomo spokesman Rich Azzopardi responded to news of the investigation in a statement to Fox News:

“We have never been informed of any such matter, so why would someone leak it now? 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.”

The former governor came under scrutiny by House Republicans in 2023 for his administration’s response to the pandemic, particularly its policies related to nursing homes.

During a congressional hearing, Cuomo was questioned about a March 2020 directive that required nursing homes to accept recovering COVID-19 patients discharged from hospitals.

The policy was intended to free up hospital space but faced backlash for potentially accelerating outbreaks in long-term care facilities.

Over 9,000 patients were transferred from hospitals to nursing homes under the directive, which was later rescinded.

Family members of residents who died subsequently sued, claiming the policy led to the spread of the virus and the deaths of their loved ones.

They also accused Cuomo’s administration of failing to accurately report the full number of nursing home deaths during the pandemic.

In October 2024, House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman James Comer referred Cuomo to the Justice Department for criminal prosecution.

Former Rep. Brad Wenstrup, who then chaired the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic, said Cuomo had made “multiple criminally false statements” to Congress about his pandemic response.

Cuomo has previously defended his administration’s actions, stating that the nursing home policy was based on guidance issued at the time by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

A March 2022 report by the New York State Comptroller concluded that Cuomo’s Department of Health “was not transparent in its reporting of COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes” and at times “understated the number of deaths at nursing homes by as much as 50%.”

In a letter last month to Attorney General Pam Bondi, Chairman Comer wrote that “to our knowledge, the Biden Administration ignored this referral despite clear facts and evidence,” and asked Bondi to review the matter and “take appropriate action.”

Comer said in a statement Monday, “Andrew Cuomo is a man with a history of corruption and deceit, now caught red-handed lying to Congress during the Select Subcommittee’s investigation into the COVID-19 nursing home tragedy in New York. This wasn’t a slip-up – it was a calculated cover-up by a man seeking to shield himself from responsibility for the devastating loss of life in New York’s nursing homes. Let’s be clear: lying to Congress is a federal crime. Mr. Cuomo must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. The House Oversight Committee is prepared to fully cooperate with the Justice Department’s investigation into Andrew Cuomo’s actions and ensure he’s held to account.”

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