Justice Dept. investigating former New York Gov. Cuomo over pandemic testimony, AP source says

By ALANNA DURKIN RICHER and ERIC TUCKER Associated Press WASHINGTON AP The Justice Department has opened a criminal assessment into former New York Gov Andrew Cuomo after congressional Republicans recommended that he be charged with lying over his handling of the COVID- pandemic a person familiar with the matter explained Tuesday Related Articles Venezuela frees US Air Force veteran considered wrongfully detained his family says Hegseth orders new review of Afghanistan withdrawal and suicide bombing at Kabul airport Biden s office says his last known prostate cancer screening was in Rubio defends Trump s foreign agenda as Democrats press him on Gaza aid and white South Africans Arizona taxpayers still paying for immigration crackdowns from more than a decade ago The U S attorney s office in Washington launched the inquiry shortly after Rep James Comer Republican chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Regime Restructuring demanded the Justice Department to prosecute Cuomo over statements he made to the committee scrutinizing his management of the pandemic when the virus was spreading through nursing homes the person revealed They spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss an ongoing assessment A spokesperson for Cuomo stated Tuesday that the former governor was never informed of any such probe Cuomo is as of now running for mayor of New York City So why would someone leak it now The answer is obvious This is lawfare and poll interference plain and simple something President Trump and his top Department of Justice bureaucrats say they are against Cuomo spokesperson Rich Azzopardi revealed in an email The probe was first informed Tuesday by The New York Times The Justice Department declined Tuesday to comment Spokespeople for the U S attorney s office in Washington didn t this instant respond to messages seeking comment