WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department has opened a criminal investigation into former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo after congressional Republicans recommended that he be charged with lying over his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, a person familiar with the matter said Tuesday.
The investigation by the U.S. attorney’s office in Washington follows a referral from Rep. James Comer, Republican chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, over statements Cuomo made to lawmakers investigating his management of the pandemic when the virus was spreading through nursing homes, the person said. They spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss an ongoing investigation.
The investigation plunges the Justice Department yet again into New York politics as Cuomo runs for New York City mayor. It comes just months after federal prosecutors abandoned a corruption case against New York Mayor Eric Adams — Cuomo’s opponent in the mayoral race — citing a desire to free Adams up to cooperate with the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.
A spokesperson for Cuomo said Tuesday that the former governor was never informed of any such investigation.
