Cuomo says he 'did nothing wrong,' is 'not resigning' as scandals continue to swirl
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo says the investigation into his administration's handling of nursing home COVID deaths is 'a political investigation started by Donald Trump.'
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo again Monday said that he "did nothing wrong" amid swirling scandals of sexual harassment, creating a toxic work environment and covering up nursing home coronavirus deaths in his state.
Cuomo made the comment at a press briefing in Albany, in response to questions from Fox News' Bryan Llenas.
Cuomo was asked whether he would make decisions about his political future after the release of a report by Attorney General Letitia James on his alleged sexual harassment of many women, or if he would wait until after the state legislature's impeachment inquiry.
"I've already told New Yorkers where I am," Cuomo said in response to that question. "I did nothing wrong. And period and I'm not resigning and I'm doing my job every day."
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo speaks during a news conference, April 26, 2021 at the New York State Fair Grounds in Syracuse, New York. (N. Scott Trimble/Syracuse Post-Standard via AP)
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Cuomo was also asked if he would support a separate investigation by James into his administration's alleged cover-up of nursing home deaths. Senior aides for the governor purposely sought to prevent New York state health officials, including Commissioner Howard Zucker, from releasing the true death toll, The New York Times reported last week, citing interviews and newly unearthed documents.
As previously reported by Fox News, Cuomo’s administration was logging the location of nursing home residents' coronavirus deaths since at least April 2020, despite claims those numbers could not be verified for a report issued months later.
"Nursing homes is being looked at by the Eastern District. That was a political investigation started by Donald Trump, who politicized not just COVID, but then politicized nursing homes and policies towards nursing homes and wanted to blame Democratic governors like myself and Michigan and New Jersey and Pennsylvania," Cuomo said Monday.
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Cuomo further called the entire Department of Justice under former President Trump a "political Department of Justice."
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo speaks at a vaccination site on Monday, March 8, 2021, in New York. Cuomo previously apologized for actions that made women uncomfortable but denied ever touching a woman inappropriately. Cuomo now, however, says he 'did nothing wrong.' (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, Pool)
Cuomo has refused to resign despite widespread calls for him to do so by leaders in the New York state legislature and nationwide for months.
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., the state's two senators, each called for Cuomo to resign in March, along with many other members of the New York congressional delegation.
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In addition to the sexual harassment allegations and the alleged nursing home cover-up, Cuomo faces accusations that his offices prioritized family members and allies for coronavirus tests early in the pandemic, and that he and his senior aides have a habit of berating and belittling lower-level aides and reporters.
Further, Cuomo still has not disclosed how much he made on his book deal last year and faces allegations that he impermissibly used campaign resources to drive book sales. Cuomo's book, called "American Crisis, Leadership Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic," was published as his state had the second-highest death rate from the virus, behind New Jersey.
Cuomo was asked on Monday to disclose how much he made from the book but he did not respond, saying he would only do so when his tax returns are released.
Fox News' Brittany De Lea and Brian Llenas contributed to this report.
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