Salka ‘Appalled’

If Governor Hid

Aged Death Rate

AG Letitia James’ Study Concludes

Nursing Home Fatalities 50% Short

By JIM KEVLIN • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com

ALBANY – That state Attorney General Letitia James concluded the Cuomo Administration underreported COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes by half is “appalling,” Assemblyman John Salka, R-Brookfield, declared in a statement released this afternoon.

An investigation by James’ office concluded the administration undercounted coronavirus-related deaths at nursing homes by as much as 50 percent, the New York Times reported today.

Salka said this warrants the state Legislature pulling the governor’s emergency powers, and he urged his colleagues to do so.

“We have known for months that nursing home deaths have been grossly underreported, and now we finally have confirmation from the attorney general,” said Salka, who represents Oneonta, Cooperstown and Richfield Springs. “The governor has lied to protect himself and passed blame for much of New York’s issues on to the federal government.”

According to Salka, many nursing home residents and staff lacked proper PPE and tests “that would have prevented an unnecessary risk that the governor was willing to take. Nursing home patients went months with little to no contact with family and loved ones. They deserve better than this.

“All New Yorkers deserve transparency amid this pandemic that has instilled fear in our communities. I am calling on the Legislature to remove the governor’s emergency powers. How can we trust Governor Cuomo and his administration when they have lied repeatedly to the people of New York?”