ALBANY, N.Y. — New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s administration has launched a full transcript of the phone meeting between aides and legislators that has left him bogged in a mire of criticism for practically per week.
It clocks in at greater than 22,000 phrases and can probably be debated and dissected totally within the coming days.
The transcript, if correct, doesn’t appear to supply any new help for the concept that high gubernatorial staffer Melissa DeRosa informed legislators that information had been withheld in an try to intervene with a U.S. Division of Justice probe. That allegation has been on the middle of probably the most vitriolic claims made towards Cuomo in latest days.
Related mentions of the DOJ and comparable phrases appear to be restricted to a single trade — an excerpt of which was included within the New York Submit’s report final week— by which DeRosa says there was concern that if nursing residence information had been shared with the federal authorities, it will “be used towards us.” Taken as a complete, nevertheless, that trade may be simply learn as if DeRosa was involved in regards to the information getting used towards them by President Donald Trump and his Twitter feed, reasonably than federal investigators. In actual fact, she shortly added that the administration had cooperated with the DOJ probe:
DeRosa: The letter [from the Legislature requesting nursing home data] is available in on the finish of August and proper across the identical time, President Trump turns this into a large political soccer. He begins tweeting that we killed everybody in nursing properties, he begins going after Murphy, begins going after Newsom, begins going after Gretchen Whitmer.
He directs the Division of Justice to do an investigation into us. He finds one particular person at DOJ, who since has been fired as a result of this particular person is now identified to be a political hack, who sends letters out to all of these totally different governors. And mainly, we froze, as a result of then we had been ready the place we weren’t positive if what we had been going to provide to the Division of Justice or what we give to you guys, what we begin saying was going for use towards us whereas we weren’t positive if there was going to be an investigation.
That performed a really massive function into this. We went to the leaders and we mentioned to the leaders, can we please pause on getting again to everyone till we get by means of this era and we all know what’s what with the DOJ. We since have come by means of that interval. All indicators level to, they aren’t this. They dropped it. They by no means formally opened an investigation. They despatched a letter asking a quantity of questions after which we happy these questions and it seems that they’re gone. However that was the way it was taking place again in August.
It’s additionally value noting that regardless of the acrimony of latest days, the meeting appears to have ended on a nice word:
DeRosa: The rest? I imply clearly, this isn’t the top of the dialog. That is extra like the start, however for now, is there anything?
Sen. James Skoufis: I simply need to say that I’ve discovered this — I have been doing this for 9 years, third 12 months within the Senate, and I’ve discovered this actually refreshing. And I’m being completely sincere — I’ve simply not felt in 9 years, type of the, this type of alternative to have an sincere and easy dialog the place I’ve felt that, you realize, you all weren’t simply studying from a script or making an attempt to bounce round questions. I really feel actually good about what occurred tonight, and possibly I am talking out of college with my colleagues nonetheless on the Zoom right here, however I simply ask, like, can this please be the usual? This in my thoughts is how it’s alleged to work. I believe in my thoughts, we had been brutally sincere at instances and also you had been forthright and if you did not like what we had been doing, you tell us that and also you, I believe, you genuinely answered most, if not all, of our inquiries to the extent that you can. So, I simply ask that this be the usual, that is all.
Well being Commissioner Howard Zucker: Thanks.
DeRosa: You have got my phrase. Look, I do know the place that you just guys have been put in with some of this and I do know that greater than something, it is simply that the press involves you and your constituents come to you … you’ve to have the ability to have solutions … I actually admire, for probably the most half, that the Legislature has been supportive all through this course of. It has been actually been onerous for all of us, we’re all simply making an attempt to do the proper factor, however I need to proceed this dialogue in no matter format is smart. You realize, I defer to your management clearly, however I am right here, I’ll make the time. The individuals round this desk will make the time and we’re glad to proceed this.
View the full transcript of the meeting right here.
