New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, Pool)

Democrats in the state Senate refused earlier this week to issue a subpoena to the New York State Department of Health for the nursing home data and related communications.

Now, Rep. Tom Reed, R-Corning, and members of the state’s Republican Congressional Delegation are taking their request to the U.S. Attorney General’s office. Reed and his fellow Republicans sent a letter Wednesday to Monty Wilkinson, acting U.S. attorney general, asking the U.S. Department of Justice to issue subpoenas for Gov. Andrew Cuomo, the secretary to the governor, state Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker and their staff for all documentation and communications related to the state’s nursing home policies during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Thousands of New York families who lost a parent or grandparent due to New York’s disastrous nursing home policies deserve nothing less than full transparency and accountability,” Reed said. “If the Biden administration and their Department of Justice are truly committed to following the spirit of independence and impartiality, they should join with us as we work to further uncover the depths of Governor Cuomo and New York State’s incompetence. It is the only remedy to ensuring such horrific public health mistakes never happens again.”

Earlier this week, Senator Tom O’Mara, R-Elmira and ranking member of the Senate Committee on Investigations and Government Operations, advanced a motion calling on the committee to issue a subpoena to the state Department of Health for the nursing home data and related communications. Sen. James Skoufis, D-Newburgh and chair of the Committee on Investigations, dismissed the request.

See Thursday’s edition for complete coverage.