Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo all however obtained away with homicide this week when a federal choose tossed a lawsuit blaming his administration for 1000’s of COVID-19 deaths in nursing houses, disgusted kinfolk advised The Publish.
Patricia Biondi, considered one of eight plaintiffs within the $10 million wrongful-death go well with, known as Manhattan federal Decide Katherine Polk Failla’s Monday choice to dismiss the case over lack of proof a “dangerous joke,” including Cuomo – the frontrunner in NYC’s mayoral race — “mismanaged the entire COVID disaster” as governor.
“He’s simply strolling away scot free, and he has the nerve to run for workplace once more?” mentioned Biondi, 72, of Wappingers Falls, NY, whose husband of over 30 years, Michael, 77, died of the bug in November 2020 — only a month after checking right into a Mohegan Lake nursing dwelling for bodily remedy.
“Cuomo ought to be in jail – not operating for workplace,” she mentioned. “I feel what he did was horrendous.”
“He’s an actual piece of labor,” added Biondi, who mentioned neither she nor her two daughters and 4 granddaughters obtained to say goodbye to Michael due to strict pandemic restrictions.
Cuomo wound up putting a $5.1 million ebook deal to write down a memoir about main the state throughout the pandemic.
Stacie Druckman, 52, mentioned she holds Cuomo and his administration accountable for the April 2020 demise of her 73-year-old father Arthur Druckman at a Bronx nursing dwelling.
Cuomo, she mentioned, “shouldn’t be allowed to run” for mayor.
“Individuals are forgetting what occurred, however some folks like me aren’t,” she mentioned.
Each Biondi and Druckman mentioned they need to enchantment the choose’s choice, however Biondi conceded it might be a “longshot” to discover a choose in New York who’d rule in opposition to Cuomo.
Their lawyer Joseph Ciaccio didn’t return messages, however beforehand advised Legislation 360 “we are going to proceed to discover all choices.”
The Cuomo administration issued a controversial directive on March 25, 2020 forcing New York nursing houses to soak up COVID-19 sufferers who have been discharged from hospitals, which some consultants have mentioned contributed to 1000’s of deaths. The directive was issued in response to many hospitals statewide – particularly in NYC – being overwhelmed with sufferers and missing sufficient beds.
The plaintiffs within the 2023 go well with contend their family members’ deaths have been a results of the directive, accusing Cuomo, his prime aide Melissa DeRosa and ex-state of Well being Division Commissioner Howard Zucker of depriving nursing dwelling residents to “elementary rights to life, bodily integrity, and the proper to non-public safety” as required beneath the 14th Modification.
The choose in a 44-page order Monday dismissing the go well with mentioned the plaintiffs’ claims did not go authorized muster as a result of the state didn’t “create” the virus or imprison the residents.
“The courtroom’s sympathy for plaintiffs and their family members merely can not supplant governing legislation,” the choose wrote.
Brooklyn federal Decide LaShann DeArcy Corridor in September dismissed the same 2022 go well with filed by borough resident Daniel Arbeeny, whose father contracted the virus in a Brooklyn nursing dwelling and died.
Cuomo spokesperson Wealthy Azzopardi hailed the most recent ruling, proclaiming “as soon as once more, justice has prevailed.”
“As we go the fifth anniversary of COVID, the ache of those that have misplaced family members continues to be weaponized for political functions and electoral acquire on the highest ranges,” he mentioned. “Nevertheless, anytime this challenge will get taken out of the press or the political area and into the courts, the reality wins.”
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