House Oversight Chairman James Comer Takes No Prisoners
James Comer, the House Oversight Chairman, isn’t playing games. He just resubmitted a criminal referral to Attorney General Pam Bondi. The target? Disgraced former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. The allegation is heavy: Cuomo lied under oath during pandemic-era probes.
Comer’s letter points directly at Cuomo for violating 18 U.S.C. §1001, the federal law against false statements to Congress. It’s a stand against deceit in the halls of power—a message that Republicans won’t tolerate cover-ups.
According to the letter:
On October 30, 2024, the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic (Select Subcommittee) referred former Governor of the State of New York, Andrew M. Cuomo, for making criminally false statements in violation 18 U.S.C. §1001.1
To our knowledge, the Biden Administration ignored this referral despite clear facts and evidence. Accordingly, we request you review this referral and take appropriate action. For your reference, the referral is attached to this letter.
The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is the principal oversight committee of the U.S. House of Representatives and has broad authority to investigate “any matter” at “any time” under House Rule X.
At the center of this referral is Cuomo’s claim that he didn’t have a hand in drafting a now-infamous New York State Department of Health report. This report helped clear his administration of any wrongdoing over its disastrous nursing home policy.
Back in 2020, multiple reports showed Cuomo pushing risky programs in New York. His directive meant that sick COVID patients were sent back into nursing homes. Thousands of elderly lives were lost because of those decisions. Even worse, when official numbers were requested, the reports were fudged—by nearly 50%.
An investigation was launched, and Cuomo ultimately resigned as governor. Yet, the probe into illegal actions related to nursing home deaths was inexplicably dropped by both the Biden DOJ and the Manhattan DA.
As Chairman Comer put it:
“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.”
For those looking for details, here’s a quick rundown of the timeline from the Oversight Committee’s investigation into New York’s pandemic response:
- March 25, 2020: Cuomo’s administration directed New York nursing homes to take in COVID-positive patients, exposing the vulnerable.
- July 6, 2020: A report was rolled out blaming nursing home staff for the rise in deaths. New evidence shows Cuomo was deeply involved.
- January 28, 2021: Attorney General Letitia James revealed that Cuomo’s team undercounted nursing home deaths by up to 50%.
- May 19, 2023: The investigation kicked off in full force.
- Interviews were held with former New York State officials including Dr. Howard Zucker, Dr. Eleanor Adams, and others.
- December 1, 2023: Cuomo was asked to give a transcribed interview.
- Between December 22, 2023 and March 5, 2024, the Subcommittee struggled to secure Cuomo’s testimony.
- March 5, 2024: A subpoena was finally announced for Cuomo.
- June 11, 2024: Cuomo testified, falsely denying his involvement in drafting the controversial health report.
- September 9, 2024: A lengthy memo laid bare evidence of repeated cover-ups.
- Later that day, Cuomo’s attorney objected to the memo, prompting more questions from the Select Subcommittee.
- September 10, 2024: Cuomo was publicly held accountable during a hearing.
- September 10, 2024: A subpoena was issued for New York Governor Kathy Hochul for withholding key documents.
- September 25, 2024: Evidence emerged that Cuomo tried to influence a witness.
- October 30, 2024: The criminal referral was officially sent off.
For more context, read the letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi here. The full criminal referral is available here and a supporting transcript can be found here. Finally, review Cuomo’s transcribed interview here.
This move by Comer is a strong call for accountability. With clear evidence and a hard-hitting message, the demand is simple: No one is above the law. And when it comes to protecting the American people, the truth must come first.
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