NY Democratic State Senators Release Statement Calling For Cuomo Emergency Powers To Be Stripped

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Feb 12, 2021

More than a dozen Democrat state senators in New York have issued a statement on Friday demanding that the emergency powers that were granted to Gov. Andrew Cuomo be stripped immediately following the admission by one of his aides that his administration covered up the true number of nursing home deaths from COVID-19.

“Today, February 12, 2021 , New York State Senators Alessandra Biaggi, Jabari Brisport, Samra Brouk, Jeremy Cooney, Andrew Gounardes, Robert Jackson, John C. Liu, John Mannion, Rachel May, Elijah Reichlin-Melnick, Gustavo Rivera, Julia Salazar, James Sanders, and James Skoufis issued a joint statement calling for a repeal of the Governor’s authority to issue unilateral directives,” the statement from the lawmakers said. “On March 3rd, 2020, legislation was passed to significantly expand the Governor’s executive powers under an emergency declaration, including giving him the ability to issue directives, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

via Daily Wire:

“Without exception, the New York State Constitution calls for the Legislature to govern as a co-equal branch of government,” the senators said. “While COVID-19 has tested the limits of our people and state – and, early during the pandemic, required the government to restructure decision making to render rapid, necessary public health judgments – it is clear that the expanded emergency powers granted to the Governor are no longer appropriate. While the executive’s authority to issue directives is due to expire on April 30, we urge the Senate to advance and adopt a repeal as expeditiously as possible.”

The story comes after the New York Post reported last night:

Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s top aide privately apologized to Democratic lawmakers for withholding the state’s nursing home death toll from COVID-19 — telling them “we froze” out of fear that the true numbers would “be used against us” by federal prosecutors, The Post has learned.

The stunning admission of a coverup was made by secretary to the governor Melissa DeRosa during a video conference call with state Democratic leaders in which she said the Cuomo administration had rebuffed a legislative request for the tally in August because “right around the same time, [then-President Donald Trump] turns this into a giant political football,” according to an audio recording of the two-hour-plus meeting.

Not only should those powers be stripped, but Cuomo needs to resign immediately. If he refuses, well, then it’s time to impeach the man. What he did is a gross violation of the people’s trust and should not be tolerated.

It’s time to hold Cuomo accountable for this cover-up. That all starts with him not being allowed to stay in power. Get it done!