In Case You Missed it: Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt and Assembly Republican Leader Will Barclay are demanding in independent investigation into Cuomo's nursing home cover-up. Cuomo's phony, whitewashed report can't bury the facts and Republicans will not rest until we get truth and justice for the families who lost loved ones at the hands of his deadly mandate. Please read more below: Statement from NYS Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt on Coronavirus in Nursing Homes Governor Cuomo and his Department of Health Commissioner’s continual attempts to distort reality are an insult to every New Yorker who lost a mother, father, grandma, grandpa, or other loved one in a nursing home, long-term care, or assisted living facility. The fact is that coronavirus ravaged a nursing home in Kirkland, Washington in late February, and the devastation illustrated the danger the virus posed to our seniors. Instead of swiftly acting to protect our most vulnerable, Cuomo and his Health Commissioner did nothing. The Cuomo administration now blames family members and dedicated staff instead of their botched March 25 directive that sent COVID-19 positive patients walking into the door. The Cuomo administration’s failure to accept responsibility for their disastrous response has been outrageous, but to blame family members who have suffered devastating losses – who were not even able to say goodbye at funerals – is the ultimate low. It’s not only the March 25 directive that led to this disastrous and deadly outcome. At the start of the crisis, the Cuomo administration fixated on holding daily briefings to gain national attention while our seniors in nursing homes were an afterthought. The Senate Republican Conference called for measures to be taken, but not Cuomo or a single Democrat did anything. An independent investigation is needed to understand what went wrong to provide answers to families and to help our nursing homes deal with infection control, not a report issued by the Cuomo administration and their allies. ### ASSEMBLY MINORITY LEADER WILL BARCLAY ON THE DOH REPORT ON COVID-19 DEATHS IN THE STATE’S NURSING HOMES “For months, the Cuomo administration and State Department of Health (DOH) have deflected accountability for the thousands of lives lost to COVID-19 in New York’s nursing homes. To the surprise of absolutely no one, they have now presented a report that continues to promote their pass-the-buck narrative. While defending the now-infamous DOH order of March 25, which required nursing homes to accept COVID-positive patients, today’s findings attribute the spread of the virus to federal guidance, nursing home staff, a lack of testing, visitors and family members. State health officials have a responsibility to analyze and learn from the COVID-19 pandemic in order to better prepare for future crises. However, in no way does this report replace the need for a full, public accounting and independent investigation into what happened in nursing homes and adult care facilities across the state. For months, members of the Assembly Minority Conference have called for hearings on the state’s response to the COVID outbreak in nursing homes. It’s time our colleagues in the Assembly and Senate majorities put a date on the calendar and get these under way. If the DOH report is accurate, I’m sure they will appreciate an opportunity to discuss it with state lawmakers and independent investigators.” SUPPORT THE NEW YORK REPUBLICAN PARTY TODAY! ‌ ‌ New York Republican State Committee | 315 State Street, Albany, NY 12210 Unsubscribe [email protected] Update Profile | About Constant Contact Sent by [email protected] in collaboration with Try email marketing for free today!