Cuomo was 'playing political football' with seniors, says daughter of nursing home victim

close

Video

Daughter whose mother died in a nursing home seeks answers from Cuomo

Vivian Zayas, who lost her mother in a New York nursing home due to COVID-19, speaks out on her fight for justice on 'Fox & Friends.'

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s void in leadership and compassion is to blame for many deaths of senior citizens in nursing homes, said Vivian Zayas on Thursday, after losing her mother in a nursing home due to COVID-19.

Zayas told "Fox & Friends" that her "mother's facility had continued to report that there were only 40 deaths for the past 10 months." 

However, Zayas claimed people knew that "it was incorrect."

"Families have known all along," Zayas said. "So, when the numbers came out through the New York report, now her facility is reporting 70, so that's over a 40 percent increase."

NEW YORK LAWMAKERS WANT CUOMO’S EMMY VACATED

The FBI and U.S. Attorney’s office in Brooklyn have begun an investigation into how New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's administration handled the state’s nursing home crisis during the coronavirus pandemic, according to a report Wednesday.

The investigation is not yet far along and is focused on top members of Cuomo’s coronavirus task force, the Albany Times-Union reported, citing a source with direct knowledge of the matter. Neither Cuomo nor any administration official has at this point been accused of any wrongdoing.

Members of Cuomo’s task force include New York State Health Commissioner Howard Zucker and Secretary to the Governor Melissa DeRosa. The latter drew scrutiny this month after she seemingly admitted the governor’s team withheld information related to COVID-19-related deaths at nursing homes.

Video

The leaks only confirmed what everyone "knew all along," which is that they "were hiding" coronavirus deaths.

"They have been playing political football with our seniors," Zayas said.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

"I'm just grateful that the truth is coming out, that we are somewhat vindicated. And at the same time, this gives us the opportunity to look at what has happened to our seniors and give them some sort of justice."

In a statement sent to Fox News in response to mounting criticism, Jack Sterne, a Cuomo administration spokesperson, said, "The Governor is focused on getting as many vaccines into arms as humanly possible while continuing to manage this public health emergency.

"New York went from one of the highest COVID positivity rates in the country to one of the lowest and has administered over 2 million shots, including 92% of all first doses we’ve received — which is exactly why the vast majority of New Yorkers approve of the Governor’s job fighting COVID."