Cuomo Faces Sharp Criticism from Fellow Democrats Over COVID Nursing Home Scandal During Debate

Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo found himself at the center of a heated exchange during Wednesday night's mayoral debate, as rival Democrats sharply criticized him over allegations that he lied to Congress regarding the state’s reporting of COVID-19 nursing home deaths. The controversy, which has drawn the scrutiny of federal investigators, cast a shadow over Cuomo’s campaign to become the next mayor of New York City.

The central issue stems from a New York State Department of Health report released during Cuomo’s tenure as governor. Officials later determined the report had undercounted the number of COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes—an allegation that Republicans and many Democrats alike have continued to press. Throughout the debate, Cuomo repeatedly dismissed questions about whether he misled Congress about his involvement in drafting the now-disputed report, insisting that the investigation is “a symptom of partisan politics” and holding firm that the report “did not undercount the deaths.”

His refusal to give direct answers did little to satisfy his opponents on stage. “The people died and he still won’t answer your questions,” said Michael Blake, a former state assemblyman from the Bronx, drawing applause from the audience. After a moderator pressed Cuomo for a clear response, Cuomo firmly stated, “No, I told Congress the truth. No, we did not undercount any deaths.” He further defended his administration’s record by noting, “When they are all counted, we’re number 38 out of 50… Only 12 states had a lower rate of death.” However, when asked directly if he was involved in producing the report, Cuomo skirted the question yet again, eliciting laughter from his rivals.

The exchange grew more tense when Brad Lander, New York City’s comptroller, accused Cuomo of lying not just to Congress, but also to the families who lost loved ones in nursing homes, suggesting that Cuomo had misled the public to protect a lucrative book deal. “That’s corruption,” Lander asserted, heightening the stakes of the already-charged debate.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Justice has opened a criminal investigation into whether Cuomo lied to Congress about his administration’s decisions during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. In March 2020, Cuomo had issued a controversial directive requiring nursing homes to accept recovering COVID-19 patients to ease hospital crowding—a move that led to the transfer of more than 9,000 patients into such facilities. Critics argue this decision worsened outbreaks and contributed to the high death toll among vulnerable residents. The directive was later rescinded as backlash mounted, but questions lingered about how the true scale of the crisis was reported to both the public and regulatory authorities.

Subsequent investigations have reinforced concerns. In March 2022, the New York state comptroller’s office concluded that the Health Department was “not transparent” and “understated the number of deaths at nursing homes by as much as 50%.” A separate review from the state Attorney General also confirmed substantial underreporting. Both reports have intensified calls for accountability, and as the mayoral primary approaches, Cuomo’s handling of the pandemic—and his candor about it—could prove decisive in the race.