Queens Democrat says Cuomo vowed to ‘destroy’ him over virus revelation

ALBANY, N.Y. » A Democratic lawmaker says New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo vowed to “destroy” him during a private phone call last week for criticizing his handling of COVID-19 outbreaks at nursing homes.

Cuomo, who has long had a reputation for playing rough in politics, denied the allegation Wednesday, and fired back by calling the Assembly member a chronic liar.

The governor used a call with reporters to blast Assembly member Ron Kim, of Queens, one of nine Democrats who signed a letter seeking support for a bill that would revoke the governor’s emergency powers related to the pandemic, which are set to expire this spring.

The letter, sent to Assembly members Tuesday, said Cuomo’s administration “deliberately covered up” the extent of the pandemic’s impact on nursing homes and assisted living facilities by publishing an incomplete accounting of the number of deaths, despite requests from lawmakers, reporters and the

U.S. Department of Justice.

In recent weeks, the administration revealed that 15,000 long-term care residents have died, up from the 8,500 previously disclosed.

“(I)t is now unambiguously clear that this governor has engaged in an intentional obstruction of justice,” the letter said.

Cuomo said it’s a “lie” that he obstructed justice, and told reporters Wednesday that he had a “long hostile relationship” with Kim. The governor also accused Kim of being “unethical” for backing nail salon owners as lawmakers discussed safety and wage reforms of the industry in 2015. Kim had initially supported the reforms, but later opposed some of them after getting support from salon owners.

“I didn’t say anything about Assemblyman Ron Kim. He attacked me,” Cuomo said. “He attacked me and said that I obstructed justice in a letter.”

Kim told The New York Times and CNN on Wednesday that Cuomo called him on the phone Feb. 11 to shout at him about his comments on the nursing home issue.