Cuomo Seeks a Comeback After COVID Butchery

_WHAT’S HAPPENING_

Andrew Cuomo is leading the race for New York City mayor, just four years after resigning in disgrace as the governor of the Empire State over a litany of sexual harassment claims.

But his comeback is also haunted by the deadly consequences of his leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic.

As governor, Cuomo issued a directive in March 2020 that forced nursing homes to accept COVID-positive patients and then concealed the actual death toll from the public. Despite this, Cuomo is now the Democratic frontrunner, backed by major unions and polling well ahead of his rivals ahead of the June 24 primary.

_THE FACTS_

• Cuomo's March 25, 2020, directive forced nursing homes to accept COVID-positive patients, leading to thousands of deaths among vulnerable elderly residents.

• A 2022 state comptroller report found Cuomo's Health Department "understated nursing home deaths by as much as 50 percent" during the pandemic.

• When questioned about nursing home deaths, Cuomo infamously responded, "Who cares [if they] died in the hospital, died in a nursing home? They died."

• New York taxpayers have paid over $60 million for Cuomo's legal battles related to sexual harassment allegations, his book deal, and nursing home COVID policies.

• Protesters recently disrupted a "Black Agenda" forum, chanting "Cuomo lies, people die" in reference to his nursing home policies.

• Cuomo is the clear frontrunner: in March polling, Cuomo led the Democratic field with 39 percent support, with his nearest competitor at just 15 percent.

• New York City's largest private sector union — a healthcare union — endorsed Cuomo, adding to his list of labor supporters.

• He has avoided debates and is limiting appearances to controlled settings.

• Progressive mayoral candidates are coordinating their campaigns against Cuomo, hoping to use ranked-choice voting to defeat him in the June 24 primary.

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