The Justice Department has initiated an investigation into former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo regarding his testimony to Congress during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. This significant development was reported by CBS News on Tuesday, following insights from two officials familiar with the ongoing matter. The investigation emerges just months after the DOJ opted to drop charges against the current New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who, along with Cuomo, is currently vying for the mayoral position in the upcoming election.
The news of the Justice Department's investigation into Cuomo was first highlighted by The New York Times. When contacted by CBS News, the Justice Department declined to comment on the specifics of the case. In response to the investigation, Rich Azzopardi, a spokesperson for Cuomo, stated that the former governor has not received any communication from law enforcement regarding this case, nor has he been served with any subpoenas. “We have never been informed of any such matter, so why would someone leak it now?” Azzopardi questioned, asserting that the situation represents “lawfare and election interference” in a political landscape already rife with controversy.
For several months, Congressional Republicans have been urging the Justice Department to investigate Cuomo, accusing him of providing false testimony to Congress regarding the investigation into COVID-19 related deaths in nursing homes—an area where Cuomo has faced considerable criticism over his handling. A criminal referral last year from a House panel investigating the pandemic alleged that Cuomo was involved in drafting and editing a 2020 state report concerning nursing home deaths. However, during his testimony in June 2024, Cuomo claimed he had no involvement in the matter. This referral alleges that Cuomo may have violated laws prohibiting false statements made to Congress.
Despite the serious nature of the allegations, the Biden-era Justice Department did not act on the referral concerning Cuomo. However, after the return of President Trump to office, Kentucky Republican Representative James Comer, who chairs the House Oversight Committee, called upon federal prosecutors to investigate Cuomo, asserting that the former governor had been caught lying to Congress. Azzopardi defended Cuomo, stating, “Governor Cuomo testified truthfully to the best of his recollection about events from four years earlier, and he offered to address any follow-up questions from the Subcommittee — but from the beginning this was all transparently political.”
The Trump-era Justice Department has faced scrutiny for its handling of criminal investigations involving Democratic figures. Prior to the public revelation of the Cuomo investigation, the DOJ was criticized for discontinuing a criminal prosecution against Mayor Adams for alleged bribery and campaign finance violations. A high-ranking official within the department stated that the charges against Adams hindered his ability to run for reelection and govern effectively, complicating cooperation with federal authorities on crime-related issues. This led to the resignation of several members from the Manhattan federal prosecutor's office, who accused the administration of engaging in a quid pro quo, allegedly offering to let Adams off the hook in exchange for his cooperation with Trump's immigration enforcement policies—claims both the Trump administration and Adams have denied.
In a separate incident this week, federal prosecutors charged New Jersey Democrat Representative LaMonica McIver with felony assault following an altercation at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center in Newark. Prosecutors allege that she assaulted a federal law enforcement officer, a charge McIver has labeled as purely political.
