The Cuomo administration has a lot to answer for when it comes to the nursing home tragedy that consumed New York the past year. More accurate numbers were released just recently, after months of stonewalling, revealing that nearly 13,000 individuals had died from COVID-19 in elder care facilities.
Lawmakers and concerned New Yorkers called for independent investigations into the tragedy, including what role Gov. Cuomo's March 25 mandate played into it. The order forced nursing homes to accept recovering COVID patients.
Some lawmakers are on board and have begun calling for subpoenas for New York Health Commissioner Howard Zucker and other officials. On Tuesday, State Sen. Sue Serino asked to move forward a motion to the Senate Aging Committee to issue those subpoenas to Zucker and have him appear before them to answer questions. But the Democratic committee chair, Rachel May, dismissed Serino's request, saying that she "doesn't see the point" in the subpoenas.
Unfortunately, Senator @RachelMayNY & @NYSenDems rejected the motion.
— NYS Senate Republicans (@nysenategop) February 9, 2021
"I don't see the point," she said.
WATCH: https://t.co/IFYkhgOMlX pic.twitter.com/rinpLzW8gi
The NY Senate GOP reacted in disgust:
"Despite growing evidence of state’s mishandling of the COVID crisis in nursing homes, Senate Aging Committee Chair Rachel May today rejected motion that would have immediately launched a bipartisan investigation into issue saying in committee, 'I don’t see the point.'"
"It's time for @NYSenDems to stop protecting @NYGovCuomo," added state Sen. Tom O'Mara. "Their failure to immediately subpoena the Cuomo administration completely abandons legislative responsibility. It makes [them] complicit in this tragedy."
Those who actually lost loved ones in nursing homes, including Fox News meteorologist Janice Dean, argued that they see a point in doing all they can to find answers.
I see the point. My mother-in-law is dead. Died in a nursing home. ??
— Barbara Portnoy (@BarbaraP1958) February 10, 2021
Tell that to the families of all those dead ppl! Unbelievable!
— Violeta Molina (@VioletaMolina18) February 10, 2021
“I don’t see the point” is what @RachelMayNY said with regards to finding out answers as to why our loved ones died. https://t.co/Qb6ZpNGLds
— Janice Dean (@JaniceDean) February 9, 2021
"@RachelMayNY is a disgrace," Dean added. "We’ll never forget this."