The US Department of Justice has opened a criminal investigation of Andrew Cuomo, a Democratic frontrunner in the New York mayoral race, after Republicans accused him of lying to Congress about his actions as governor during the Covid-19 pandemic, US media reported.
The reported probe comes after the Trump administration dropped corruption charges last month against current New York Mayor Eric Adams, who is running for reelection and has been accused of cozying up to President Donald Trump for political gain.
Adams — a Democrat who had been accused of wire fraud, soliciting illegal foreign campaign donations and a bribery conspiracy — has vowed to assist Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration, sparking criticisms of an alleged quid pro quo between the mayor and Trump’s administration.
The US attorney’s office in Washington began the inquiry against Cuomo began about a month, the New York Times reported on Tuesday, citing two unnamed people familiar with the matter.
Republican members of Congress have pushed for the Justice Department to investigate Cuomo, alleging he lied while testifying during a congressional probe into Covid-19 deaths in nursing homes during the pandemic.
In 2021, Cuomo resigned in disgrace after 10 years as governor of New York following accusations of sexual harassment. A prosecutor dropped related charges against him in January 2022.
Cuomo spokesperson Rich Azzopardi told CBS the former governor had not been contacted by law enforcement about the investigation related to the Covid deaths case, and questioned why it would be leaked now.
“The answer is obvious: This is lawfare and election interference plain and simple — something President Trump and his top Department of Justice officials say they are against,” Azzopardi said, according to CBS.
New York, the largest US city, is a bastion of the Democratic party, and the party’s candidate — chosen in a June primary — will be the favorite to win November’s mayoral election.
Adams, the Democratic incumbent, has said he will run as an independent.
