Probe of nursing home deaths finalized in New York — Analysis

Cuomo, the ex-Governor of Cuomo avoids legal trouble as Manhattan DA concludes its investigation without bringing criminal charges
Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo apparently won’t face state criminal charges over his handling of Covid-19 deaths in nursing homes, as an investigation of the matter has ended without an indictment.
Elkan Abramowitz, a lawyer representing Cuomo, said he was informed on Monday that the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office had closed its probe of the former governor. “I was told that after a thorough investigation, as we have said all along, there was no evidence to suggest that any laws were broken,” Abramowitz said.
The DA’s office hasn’t issued a statement on the decision. Cuomo was charged with deliberately concealing deaths in the face of criticisms of his Covid-19 policies. These included forcing people infected by the virus to be admitted into nursing homes. An investigation by the state attorney general found that Cuomo’s administration had undercounted deaths in nursing homes by up to 50%. A separate probe by New York Assembly also concluded that Cuomo misrepresented data.
Elkan Abramowitz, former outside counsel for the Executive Chamber on Manhattan DA Closing Investigative into Nursing Home Matters⬇️⬇️⬇️ pic.twitter.com/a8eXN5Yvse
— Rich Azzopardi (@RichAzzopardi) January 3, 2022
Cuomo was under consideration by state lawmakers to be impeached over this issue. However, the governor quit in August amid an avalanche of allegations about sexual misconduct. According to some reports, his administration concealed the extent of the senior care crisis by counting only those residents who had died in nursing homes. It did not include people who died after they were moved to hospital.
Cuomo was seen by legacy media outlets early as a hero during the pandemic. He then published a book. “leadership lessons”His handling of Covid-19. An ex-governor was ordered by the state ethics panel last month to pay the state the money he earned from the book. The board alleged that the former governor obtained the approval on false pretenses. His publisher paid him a $3.1million advance and promised him an additional $2,000,000.
Cuomo still received praise from the media, but New York’s Covid-19 death rate was among the highest during his tenure. Contrary to the claims made by Cuomo early on in the pandemic, the state had the highest rate of deaths in nursing homes. An analysis by public policy researcher FREEOP found that more than 12% of New York’s long-term care residents died from Covid-19 during the first year of the pandemic – fifth-worst in the nation – and Cuomo’s administration undercounted the death toll by 68%.
Cuomo is also facing criminal investigation for alleged sexual misconduct. He was spared charges late last month in one jurisdiction, Westchester County, where District Attorney Mimi Rocah said accusations against the former governor proved credible but didn’t merit a criminal indictment. A similar conclusion was reached a few days earlier in Nassau County, where prosecutor Joyce Smith said accusations of Cuomo’s unwanted touching of a female state trooper were “credible”And “deeply troubling”But “not criminal under New York law.”
Cuomo still may be prosecuted in Albany County, where former aide Brittany Commisso accused him of groping her while she was working at the governor’s mansion.
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