If we know anything about Democratic New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, it’s that he’s ridiculously arrogant. I mean, who writes a book about themselves and the way they successfully handled one of the largest national health crises in the modern age before that crisis is even over?
But apparently, we aren’t the only ones to think so.
According to a new report by The New York Times, a total of nine of Cuomo’s top health officials have resigned in months past for that exact reason.
First to go was the deputy commissioner for public health in August. Then, mere weeks later, the medical director for epidemiology and the Bureau of Communicable Disease Control director both quit.
The latest, with several others leaving the health office now and then, is the state epidemiologist. She resigned last month during the catastrophic vaccine rollout.
And according to The Times and anonymous sources within the state’s Health Department, all cite Cuomo and his arrogant and disrespectful attitude as the main reason.
Per The Times, “Their concern had an almost singular focus: Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo. Even as the pandemic continues to rage and New York struggles to vaccinate a large and anxious population, Mr. Cuomo has all but declared war on his own public health bureaucracy.”
And Cuomo has basically admitted as much in recent days.
On Friday of last week, he mentioned that he doesn’t really trust the “experts” he and other government levels have put in charge.
“When I say ‘experts’ in air quotes, it sounds like I’m saying I don’t really trust the ‘experts.’ Because I don’t.”
According to at least one of Cuomo’s former health officials, this has caused a severe reduction in department morale. “Morale certainly was, and continues to be, at an all-time low.”
Of course, Cuomo thinks he’s only doing what needs to be done and “saving lives.”
He said in response to the criticism, “If Times reporters think I push hospitals too hard and local governments too hard, I say I’m a fighter for the people of New York and I believe I’m saving lives.”
Cuomo even insinuated that his staff was incompetent and ill-equipped, of course, at no fault of his own, and so he had been forced to take charge in such a manner. He said, “It’s the Mike Tyson line: ‘Everybody has a plan until I punch them in the face.’”
But his punch in the face is doing a hell of a lot more than just offending people.
As Dr. Isaac Weisfuse, who used to work as the deputy commissioner of New York City’s Health Department, says, Cuomo’s less than admirable attitude goes “against the grain in terms of what the philosophy was about how to do this.” And it’s seemed to “negate 15 to 20 years of work.”
These people are undoubtedly experts in their field, and they got there by working their tails off for years to provide untold amounts of research on diseases like COVID, all in the name of one day saving lives.
And in an instant, Cuomo, merely because he has a higher title and salary, says that none it matters. You know, just like it didn’t matter that all the evidence pointed to putting known positive COVID cases into nursing homes being a disaster.
But that’s what Cuomo wanted, so that what Cuomo got.
He, no doubt, has had many officials advise him on how to handle this situation, and like all government leaders, he’s entitled to his own opinion. President Trump didn’t always like what his advisers were telling him either.
The difference is that Trump was publicly shamed whenever he disagreed with Dr. Anthony Fauci or others and accused of ignoring ‘science.’ But because Cuomo is a Democrat and not a big fan of Trump when he did it, he was lauded as being a hero and practically made into the face of the COVID pandemic response.
Of course, now that the election is over and the Dems have taken control, there is no need for them to give off the appearance of a united front. And the truth is coming out.
Cuomo’s made horrible mistakes, and ones that have literally cost tens of thousands of lives. Fortunately, I’m not the only one to have noticed.