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Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene blatantly accused former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo of “murder” on Tuesday during a tense congressional hearing on Cuomo’s Covid-19 nursing home scandal.
The firebrand congresswoman pointed her finger at Cuomo, claiming that his decision to force nursing homes to take in patients who were recovering from Covid in March 2020 “led to the murdering” of older New Yorkers.
“The Comfort ship was sent to New York on March 30th of 2020. That was just a few days after you signed the directive to put Covid-19 patients into nursing homes on March 25th which led to the murdering [of] people’s parents, grandparents and great-grandparents,” Greene said.
“Yes, murdering them,” she repeated.
The former governor tried to dispute Greene’s accusations but she fiercely demanded he stop speaking and went on to accuse Cuomo of purposefully not allowing the Covid patients in the Javitt’s Center medical center or on the Comfort hospital ship.
“You didn’t send them there you put them in nursing homes which is murder,” Greene said. “That’s murdering people.”
Tuesday’s hearing was a much-anticipated testimony from Cuomo who was caught in a scandal after his office underreported the number of Covid-19 patients who died in nursing homes.
On March 25, 2020, Cuomo signed a directive requiring nursing homes to accept Covid patients from hospitals regardless of their current infection status. Some criticized the directive, believing it would hurt the already at-risk population.
The New York governor defended his actions, saying he was acting in accordance with federal law.
The directive was later rescinded but when it came time to report the number of nursing home deaths, his office underreported by 50 percent.
It’s been more than four years since the controversy, but Cuomo and his administration have faced state and federal investigations.
During Tuesday’s hearing, Cuomo defended his administration’s actions and accused Donald Trump of “malpractice” by downplaying the effect of the virus. The former governor told those who lost family members to the virus that he was “sorry” for their loss.
“I am sorry for your loss and I believe you are owed an apology because this country should have done better,” Cuomo said.
Greene and other members of the committee accused Cuomo of failing to take responsibility and acting without empathy.
