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Senate Democrats Block GOP’s Second Attempt at Subpoenas for NY’s Handling of Nursing Homes During the Pandemic 

On April 19th, New York State Senators Tom O’Mara and Anthony Palumbo advanced a motion to send multiple subpoenas related to the state’s handling of nursing homes during the pandemic along with potential inaccuracies in death toll reporting. Some subpoenas were sent to officials at the New York State Department of Health (DOH) for testimonies and others were sent for records of the Cuomo administration handling of the COVID-19 pandemic—specifically in nursing homes. 

House Democrats voted to block the motion despite the mounting evidence that the Cuomo administration provided the public with disinformation for over a year. O’Mara and Palumbo’s recent motions for subpoenas come after their request for similar subpoenas were blocked by the Democrat-controlled Senate in early February. 

O’Mara and Palumbo’s February Request for Subpoenas 

In early February, O’Mara and Palumbo’s motion came just days after Attorney General Letitia James released a telling report describing how Gov. Andrew Cuomo and his health officials withheld an accurate count of the COVID-related death toll in the state’s nursing homes. Among the Attorney General’s findings were that a significantly larger number of nursing home residents passed away from COVID-19 than was originally reported by New York’s DOH. She stated the error rate could be as much as 50%. 

Her investigation also revealed that nursing homes’ lack of compliance with safety protocols and procedures put residents at an increased risk of harm. In response to these findings, Attorney General James decided to conduct ongoing investigations into over 20 nursing homes whose reported conduct during the first wave of the pandemic was of concern. 

Just hours after James issued her report, state Health Commissioner Howard Zucker—who had repeatedly been accused of delaying reports—provided a more detailed account of the state’s nursing home death toll data, saying that 12,743 nursing home residents had died from COVID as of January 19. The figure was approximately 4,000 more deaths than were previously reported. 

Call an Expert Nursing Home Coronavirus Lawyer in New York City

During these unprecedented times, it’s crucial for nursing homes to implement and follow essential safety precautions and protocol—both for the safety of their staff and residents. While some nursing homes have been able to stand up to the challenge, others have failed miserably, and as a result, thousands of elderly, vulnerable loved ones have died. If you suspect a loved one has suffered neglect during the coronavirus pandemic, the attorneys at Dalli & Marino are here to help.

Our seasoned New York trial attorneys have been aggressively advocating for victims of nursing abuse since 1996. We are committed to cultivating strong relationships with our clients through trusted, reliable communication. Our team of skilled attorneys approaches each case on an individual basis and is dedicated to helping you recover the money you deserve to compensate you for your experience. Give us a call at (888) 465-8790 or complete our contact form today.


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