Rep. Stefanik: Garland’s comment on Cuomo corruption ‘not good enough’

February 23, 2021 KT1 US 0

WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 21: Representative Elise Stefanik, a Republican from New York, questions witnesses during a House Intelligence Committee impeachment inquiry hearing on Capitol Hill November 21, 2019 in Washington, DC. The committee heard testimony during the fifth day of open hearings in the impeachment inquiry against U.S. President Donald Trump, whom House Democrats say held back U.S. military aid for Ukraine while demanding it investigate his political rivals. (Photo by Andrew Harrer-Pool/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON, DC – NOVEMBER 21: Rep. Elise Stefanik, a Republican from New York, questioned witnesses during a House Intelligence Committee impeachment inquiry hearing on Capitol Hill November 21, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Andrew Harrer-Pool/Getty Images)

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UPDATED 4:27 PM PT – Tuesday, February 23, 2021

Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) said Joe Biden’s pick for attorney general gave a poor response about a probe into Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D-N.Y.).

2/2 The American people, especially New Yorkers, deserve to know their Attorney General will follow through with an impartial & thorough investigation into Governor Cuomo’s obstruction of justice & fatal nursing home order that led to the deaths of thousands of innocent people.

— Rep. Elise Stefanik (@RepStefanik) February 19, 2021

On Tuesday, the New York congresswoman said Judge Merrick Garland provided a vague and non-specific response when asked about the corruption and public health scandal surrounding Cuomo. Stefanik highlighted reports, saying a federal probe into Cuomo is being handled by a family member of his top aide in an apparent conflict of interest.

However, Garland recently told lawmakers that he did not know any of the facts and attempted to downplay the matter.

“Will you commit to investigating the extent the government of New York broke laws or covered up their policies concerning COVID-positive patients in nursing homes?” Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) asked Garland.

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, speaks during a hearing for Judge Merrick Garland, nominee to be Attorney General, before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Monday, Feb. 22, 2021 on Capitol Hill in Washington. (Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post via AP, Pool)

Sen. Ted Cruz spoke during a hearing for Judge Merrick Garland, nominee to be Attorney General, before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Monday, Feb. 22, 2021 on Capitol Hill in Washington. (Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post via AP, Pool)

“With all of these investigations, the Justice Department is open to evidence of fraud, false statements, violations of the law,” Garland responded. “They normally begin in the appropriate way, in the relevant U.S. Attorney’s office.”

Stefanik said Garland’s response was not good enough. She suggested as Cuomo’s corruption has become national news, it must be handled at the highest level of the DOJ.