Gov. Andrew Cuomo is the leader of the National Governor's Association and as such he's supposed to lead the latest governors' meeting at the White House on Thursday. It's pretty awkward timing considering the dual scandals Cuomo is currently fielding. We recently learned that his administration had intentionally hidden the actual number of COVID-related nursing home deaths for months. Then, on Wednesday, Lindsey Boylan, a former Cuomo employee published an op-ed detailing the sexual harassment she says she experienced from the governor.
With that in mind, Fox News correspondent Peter Doocy borrowed a question that ABC's Jonathan Karl tried to ask on Sunday - whether or not President Biden still considered Cuomo the "gold standard" of leadership during the pandemic.
Biden's Press Secretary Jen Psaki stands by Biden calling NY Governor Andrew Cuomo “the gold standard” despite scandalshttps://t.co/fgFNbQkv2D pic.twitter.com/HxPS58P0GQ
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) February 25, 2021
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki asked Doocy to consider "the context." At the time Biden complimented Cuomo, back in April 2020, Psaki says Biden spoke out in support of a range of governors who he thought were handling the pandemic outbreaks in their state well.
Doocy also hoped to get a comment on the sexual harassment allegations against Gov. Cuomo. Psaki agreed that Boylan deserved to be heard, but didn't comment further.
Fox's Peter Doocy grills Jen Psaki on sexual harassment allegations raised by Lindsey Boylan against NY Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo, noting Biden is meeting later today w/the National Governors Association (which is chaired by Cuomo). Psaki says she deserves to be heard (1/2) pic.twitter.com/E0TEtceAjh
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) February 25, 2021
"When a person comes forward, they deserve to be treated with dignity and respect," she said. "Their voice should be heard, not silenced, and any allegation should be reviewed."
Doocy asked Psaki if the president plans to talk to Cuomo about these issues on Thursday. Psaki didn't give a straight answer, explaining that today's meeting with the governors will be focused on how to get relief to the American people.
House Oversight Republicans are now looking to subpoena Gov. Cuomo over his decisions that likely led to the tragic COVID outbreak in New York nursing homes.