Cuomo dismisses nursing home scandal, blames Trump’s 'MAGA line' for COVID controversy

Nine Democratic candidates took the signifier successful New York City Wednesday for the archetypal of 2 debates up of the June 24 mayoral primary, and the claws were retired for erstwhile Gov. Andrew Cuomo. 

Cuomo's COVID-19 ungraded was beforehand and halfway conscionable minutes into the statement arsenic moderators asked the candidates however they would basal up to President Donald Trump if elected mayor.

The erstwhile politician dismissed the legitimacy of the Justice Department's investigation into his alleged mendacious legislature grounds astir decisions made during COVID-19 erstwhile pressed by moderator Sally Goldenberg of Politico. 

"That's the Trump line, the MAGA line, due to the fact that this was during the Trump re-election," Cuomo said erstwhile asked repeatedly whether helium had a relation successful producing a contested COVID-19 report. 

ANDREW CUOMO THE BIGGEST TARGET AS NEW YORK CITY MAYORAL PRIMARY SHIFTS INTO HIGH GEAR

Andrew Cuomo, campaigner for New York City mayor, during a Democratic mayoral superior statement successful New York Wednesday, June 4, 2025.  (Yuki Iwamura/AP Photo/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Cuomo said the Justice Department's investigation is different illustration of the pandemic's crippled of "political football."

DOJ INVESTIGATING ANDREW CUOMO FOR ALLEGEDLY LYING ABOUT COVID DECISIONS, SOURCE CONFIRMS

"This is what Mr. Trump does, right? He started an probe against me, against Kathy Hochul, against Sen. Chuck Schumer, against Hillary Clinton. This is 1 of his tactics," Cuomo said. 

Also joining Cuomo connected the statement signifier Wednesday nighttime were City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, metropolis Comptroller Brad Lander, erstwhile metropolis Comptroller Scott Stringer, erstwhile authorities Assemblyman Michael Blake from the Bronx, authorities Sen. Zellnor Myrie from Brooklyn, authorities Sen. Jessica Ramos from Queens and erstwhile hedge money enforcement Whitney Tilson.

The victor of the Democratic Party mayoral superior volition beryllium seen arsenic the overwhelming favourite to triumph November's wide predetermination successful the bluish city. Early voting successful the Democratic superior for politician of New York City begins June 14 and runs done June 22.

Cuomo is the wide polling and fundraising frontrunner successful the Democratic superior fixed his sanction designation and experience.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams is moving for re-election arsenic an autarkic this year.  (AP/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, who has recovered improbable communal crushed with the Trump medication successful efforts to combat amerciable immigration, is moving arsenic an independent. The Justice Department made the antithetic determination earlier this twelvemonth to disregard an indictment against Adams connected national corruption charges.

"I cognize however to woody with Donald Trump due to the fact that I've dealt with him before," Cuomo said connected the statement stage. 

Cuomo touted his acquisition arsenic governor, peculiarly successful challenging Trump's docket during his archetypal word arsenic president. 

"I americium the past idiosyncratic connected this signifier that Mr. Trump wants to spot arsenic mayor, and that's wherefore I should beryllium the archetypal prime for the radical of this metropolis to person arsenic mayor," Cuomo said. 

(Left to right): Democratic mayoral candidates Brad Lander, Jessica Ramos, Zellnor Myrie, Andrew Cuomo, Whitney Tilson and Zohran Mamdani enactment successful a Democratic mayoral superior statement astatine NBC's 30 Rockefeller Center studios successful New York June 4, 2025. (Yuki Iwamura/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)

When again pressed by the moderators and his competitors, Cuomo said he told Congress the information astir the fig of nursing location deaths successful New York during COVID-19, the ground of the Department of Justice's investigation. 

"No, I told Congress the truth," Cuomo said. "No, we did not undercount immoderate deaths."

Still, Cuomo refused to reply whether helium was progressive successful the accumulation of the contested COVID-19 report. 

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The erstwhile politician was grilled by Republican lawmakers past twelvemonth astir his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. House Republicans subsequently recommended the Justice Department prosecute transgression charges against him. They accused him of intentionally lying to Congress during the House Oversight Committee’s probe into the excessive fig of nursing location deaths.

Fox News Digital's Paul Steinhauser and Greg Wehner contributed to this report.