Gov. Kathy Hochul has been subpoenaed by Rep. Brad Wenstrup (R-OH), chair of the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic, for failing to provide crucial documents related to New York’s handling of nursing home deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic. The documents, which date back to former Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s administration, are key to the House committee’s ongoing investigation.
The subcommittee requested the records in November 2023, aiming to examine Cuomo’s controversial decision to send COVID-positive patients into nursing homes. This policy is widely believed to have resulted in thousands of additional deaths among the elderly. Hochul’s administration, despite pledges of transparency, has not released the requested materials.
The subpoena specifically calls for the release of a series of emails from 2020 that detail New York’s response to the pandemic in nursing homes. Among these documents is a “Draft Nursing Home Plan” and a directive requiring residents to test negative for COVID-19 before being admitted. These materials are crucial for understanding how New York’s policies were implemented.
Wenstrup’s subpoena notes that Hochul’s administration has admitted to withholding some documents while turning over others. Many of the records provided were incomplete or heavily redacted, leaving investigators frustrated by the lack of cooperation from the New York Executive Chamber.
This latest development underscores the House committee’s determination to hold Cuomo and Hochul accountable for their handling of the pandemic. With the documents still withheld, questions about transparency and responsibility continue to loom over Hochul’s administration.
