New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is facing an existential threat to his once-untouchable political reputation. In many ways, it's thanks to one person... one voice, who has consistently and effectively been telling her story over the past several months.
Her name is Janice Dean. Her story is not just inspirational; it's instructive.
In these times, it's hard to be optimistic and hopeful. It's hard to embrace a can-do spirit with a vision of endless possibilities for ourselves, our children, and our nation.
Sometimes it feels like no matter how hard we work, how smartly we organize, or how passionately we advocate, the powers that be will always have the last word and will always win out.
Whether it's concerns over our porous absentee balloting procedures or investigations into the renegade tactics employed by the FBI during its investigation into the Trump campaign in 2016, or the shifting priorities, rules, and blame associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, Americans have many reasons to believe there are two sets of rules, two sets of standards, and even two sets of how laws are applied and administered in this country. And it always seems like the elite, favored, liberal Democrats endorsed by the traditional, propaganda media end up untouched by scandal or even celebrated as heroes despite the obvious facts at hand.
From Hillary to Comey to Newsom to DeBlasio to Kamala to Biden, negligence, hypocrisy, and downright incompetence fails upward as long as the smart-set at The New York Times and CNN have decided the politician in question is useful in pushing a narrative and agenda.
As hard as we try, and as fervently we push to find the truth and then articulate that truth to as many people as we can, it always seems like the other guys win. So, why bother? What's the point?
That's where Janice Dean comes in.
By now, you should know her story.
Early in the pandemic, her mother-in-law and father-in-law contracted the coronavirus, and, like so many other senior citizens in New York, they quickly perished. Like so many other seniors in New York, they contracted the virus while behind the protective walls of a long-term care facility.
Dean, the Senior Meteorologist of Fox News, was grief-stricken. When the news that Gov. Cuomo had ordered nursing homes to accept COVID-positive patients into their facilities, Dean's grief quickly transformed into righteous anger.
For months, Dean used her social media presence and her media savvy to tell her story and merely ask simple questions of Cuomo that reporters in Albany, New York City, and Washington, D.C., refused to consider.
In May, Dean merely asked for transparency in how these decisions were made and accountability to the surviving family members so they could better understand the governor's decision-making process behind a policy that appeared to condemn their loved ones to a lonely, agonizing death.
Of course, Cuomo refused to answer Dean's questions about his policy and its effects. He tried to ignore Dean until he couldn't anymore. Then, the famously thin-skinned, egotistical governor sicced his staff on Dean and tried to attack her personally.
Cuomo's response was the opposite of transparency. His staff removed the infamous order from state websites and subsequently began a cover-up campaign to hide the real number of nursing home deaths in his state, despite a federal investigation into the matter.
In August, Dean testified before a committee in Albany over the issue, despite attempts by Democratic lawmakers to keep her story out of the public record.
Dean persevered. She wouldn't let up. She refused to let Cuomo get away with it.
All the while, Cuomo was celebrated by the elite media. He wrote and promoted a book patting himself on the back for his miraculous governance during the crisis. He won an Emmy Award for his use of television news conferences to communicate to the people of New York and the nation, and celebrities celebrated his award with a sycophantic, obsequious video presentation.
Dean wasn't distracted. She continued her relentless campaign for truth and accountability.
When Cuomo's vaccination policies came under fire in January, Dean joined the chorus of dissenters pointing out that it was part of a larger picture of incompetence and indifference on behalf of the Cuomo Administration.
Apparently, at this point, Cuomo had had enough of Dean's biting commentary and pointed criticism. He finally blinked. Cuomo's office released a statement questioning Dean's legitimacy in daring to point out Emperor Cuomo's new outfit. It didn't go well for Cuomo.
“Every state has had issues with vaccine distribution because of lack of federal funds but we’re rapidly ramping up distribution and currently have administered more than 60 percent of the vaccines we have. Last I checked, she’s not a credible source on anything except maybe the weather.”
Big mistake.
The disregard and disdain his office conveyed in that insulting remark resonated with everyone watching the horrible drama play out in the Empire State. No matter her profession, Dean had one credential that qualified her to criticize King Cuomo: She was a New Yorker whose family died during the pandemic. And, in her mind, they died as a result of Cuomo's decisions. Period. That should be enough for any politician.
At this point, the wheels started to come off the Cuomo float at this year's Cuomo-fest parade.
Since Cuomo went on the offensive against Dean six weeks ago, the revelations of his attempt to cover-up COVID deaths have come to light. He held a disaster of a press conference where his prickly, defensive true-self emerged. He is being scrutinized by members of his own party, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. And even Saturday Night Live has taken notice of the issue and the governor's bullying style.
All because of Janice Dean.
It's never been hard to see who was the good guy and who was the bad guy in the Janice Dean versus Andrew Cuomo saga. But it took months of relentless effort and smart communications tactics for the rest of the legacy media machine to take notice and have no choice but to throw some light on the issue and the governor's negligence.
This is good for the people of New York. It is good for Janice Dean and the countless families who, like hers, suffered due to the decisions of the Cuomo Administration. And, it's good for all of us who feel like we never get a "win" in the suffocating pile-on of politics and corruption that exists in the unholy alliance between our entrenched political class and their cheerleader enablers in the elite political and pop-culture media.
For Janice Dean, the odds were stacked against her. Cuomo was the most popular politician in the country, we were constantly told. There were even calls for the Democrats to drop Biden at their convention last August and replace him with Cuomo. Dean was written off as either a crank, a Fox News right-wing whacko (I've interviewed her over the past eight years, and I have no idea what her politics are), or "just a weather girl."
None of that deterred her.
She kept on. And she will keep on until she has a government that responds.
And isn't that all we can ask of ourselves?
I know it feels hopeless with the media running cover for their political pals. I know.
They get away with private email servers containing classified information, and they delete 30,000 emails in a classic D.C. cover-up, and nothing happens.
They use a phony Russian dossier to obtain dubious and illegal FISA warrants on innocent Americans to further investigate a presidential campaign and, eventually, a presidential administration. And they get away with it.
They re-write or completely ignore voting laws and exploit the media to distract from the most unprecedented mail-in voting results in American history, leading to a victory for their chosen candidate. And they get away with it.
All of this makes public engagement and discourse feel hopeless and futile.
I get it.
But remember this: As hopeless as things seem, we can learn from Janice Dean.
We do not give up. We have the truth on our side. We persevere. And we fight. We just keep fighting.
Use your voice. Make a difference. Don't give up.
Be like Janice Dean.