Key facts
- Families of over 15,000 New Yorkers who died in nursing homes are seeking accountability.
- A March 2020 directive ordered nursing homes to accept COVID-positive patients without testing.
- A subsequent congressional referral documented that the death toll was falsified and undercounted by approximately 50 percent.
- Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo was referred to the DOJ in October 2024 for allegedly making false statements to Congress.
- Rep. Claudia Tenney has written to the Acting Attorney General demanding an update on the criminal referral.
Families of New Yorkers who died in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic are continuing their pursuit of accountability for former Governor Andrew Cuomo and his administration's actions. Despite the passage of time, these families, organized as Voices for Seniors, are actively seeking answers regarding a criminal referral against Cuomo for allegedly making false statements to Congress.
In March 2020, Cuomo's administration issued a directive requiring nursing homes to admit COVID-positive patients without testing, a decision that led to thousands of deaths. A subsequent 104-page congressional referral documented that the official death toll was falsified and undercounted by approximately 50 percent. Evidence, including emails and handwritten notes, reportedly contradicted Cuomo's testimony to Congress in June 2024, where he denied involvement in drafting the report.
This led to a referral to the Department of Justice in October 2024. After a period of silence, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer resubmitted the referral in April 2025, reportedly initiating an investigation. However, Rep. Claudia Tenney recently sent a letter to Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, demanding an update on the status of this referral, highlighting the ongoing lack of resolution.
The families argue that the rule of law should apply equally to powerful former officials, contrasting the lack of prosecution with the potential response if the victims had been children. They emphasize that their grief has a long memory and they will continue to press for answers and accountability.