The publisher of embattled Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s book about his self-perceived excellent handling of the COVID-19 pandemic announced Tuesday it has “no plans” to reprint the title or issue a paperback edition, given the Democrat has been credibly accused of doing an awful job handling the pandemic.
A spokesperson for Crown Publishing Group told The New York Times the company made its decision following reports that Cuomo’s aides intentionally covered up hundreds of COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes. Secretary to the Governor Melissa DeRosa told the New York Post in mid-February the Cuomo administration “froze” when then-President Donald Trump first began targeting Democratic leaders over nursing home deaths, a criticism that stemmed from Cuomo’s infamous March 25 executive order barring nursing homes and elder-care facilities from denying admission or re-admission to residents who tested positive for COVID-19 or were believed to be infected with the virus.
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Fox News media analyst Howard Kurtz argued Tuesday the decision by Crown, a division of Penguin Random House, is not an example of cancel culture. Instead, he told “America’s Newsroom” anchor Dana Perino, it was a “hard-nosed business decision because nobody’s buying the book.”
“The very premise of this book is that Andrew Cuomo did a fabulous job battling the pandemic, and that now has been undermined — obliterated, really — by the coverup of the magnitude of nursing home deaths in New York state the press is continuing to uncover,” he explained.
Kurtz said the decision by the publisher was also in response to the numerous allegations of sexual harassment against Cuomo.
So far, five women have accused the leftist governor of inappropriate behavior, charging him with making many unwanted advances toward them. Over the weekend, The Washington Post reported that 20 people who have worked with Cuomo since the 1990s said he fosters a “hostile” and “toxic” work environment.
“It’s a PR nightmare for the publisher, which is walking away from Andrew Cuomo,” said Kurtz. “[H]ow do you put out a paperback in this situation? You can’t put Gov. Cuomo on the morning shows or the cable circuit or the radio circuit, because every question would be about, ‘Are you going to resign?’ ‘What about the sexual harassment?’”
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In addition to the other scandals already hampering his administration, Fox News reported Monday that Cuomo signed an executive order April 10 mandating homes for people with development disabilities accept COVID-19 patients. That order — unlike the nursing home edict — has never been reversed.
Five-hundred fifty-two residents at homes for people with developmental disabilities have died of COVID-19, according to the New York Office for People with Developmental Disabilities. And more than 6,900 people of the roughly 35,000 people who live in such facilities have been infected with the virus.
Despite the myriad concerns about his leadership — and the bipartisan calls for his ouster — Cuomo is digging in his heels. He has made it clear he has no intention of leaving office.
The governor said over the weekend there is “no way” he will resign.
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