Andrew Cuomo conceded the race to Zohran Mamdani on November 4, 2025, in New York after a significant controversy over his actions as governor regarding nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Families of more than 15,000 New Yorkers who died in nursing homes challenge a disturbing calculation. They prove that grieving families and persistent advocacy prevent the ignorance of accountability. Representing these families, Rep. Claudia Tenney demanded answers from Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche on the status of the criminal referral against Cuomo.
Nursing home residents are individuals with families, deeply loved and cared for. They trusted that when they needed care beyond home, the standards governing that care would be maintained. On March 24, 2020, Andrew Cuomo stated, “My mother is not expendable. And your mother is not expendable.” Yet, the next day, his administration directed nursing homes to accept COVID-positive patients without testing. This decision led to thousands of deaths.
Families sought the true numbers, facing a deceitful undercount by about 50 percent, as highlighted in a congressional referral. Cuomo denied involvement in the falsified reports; however, evidence, including emails, drafts, and notes, contradicted his testimony to Congress in June 2024. The Department of Justice received this referral but failed to act. Even after a re-submission by James Comer in April 2025, responses remained negligible. Attorney General Pam Bondi’s successor has remained silent on this matter.
Despite losing his races for New York City mayor, Cuomo’s defense of prosecution as election interference no longer stands. The pressing question is whether the law is applied equally to a former powerful governor as it is to any individual. This query remains unanswered.
Voices for Seniors was established by families determined to defy this calculation. Over six years, they have testified, penned opinion pieces, and reached out to officials amid their grief. If this tragedy revolved around children, extensive investigations and prosecutions would likely follow. Unfortunately, the elderly victims’ plight seemingly impacts less.
The letter from Tenney symbolizes a refusal to forget these lives lost, reinforcing a demand for justice. Silence prevails when ignored, but these families ensure vigilant scrutiny. For six years, they have demonstrated that accountability should not be selective. Their grief persists with a lasting impact.
Vivian Zayas co-founded Voices for Seniors, actively representing these families in demanding justice. She testified before Congress in May 2023, exemplifying relentless advocacy for truth and accountability.