#House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic

[covid-safer-hotties]

NYT: Cuomo Personally Altered Report Which Understated Nursing Home COVID Deaths by Over 50%, Emails Reveal - Published Sept 19, 2024

By Joseph Feldman

NEW YORk – Former Governor Andrew Cuomo personally altered a state report that significantly underreported the number of nursing home deaths from COVID-19 by over 50%, according to emails cited in a new report.

The New York Times revealed that emails and congressional documents challenge Cuomo’s claim, made during a congressional hearing, that he had no recollection of seeing or reviewing the state Health Department’s report.

In June 2020, Cuomo’s assistant reportedly sent an email to his senior staff with the message, “Governor’s edits are attached for your review,” according to the Times.

Cuomo, who recently testified before the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic, was not under oath during his testimony but was warned he could face criminal charges for knowingly making false statements.

The former governor’s actions during the early stages of the pandemic have drawn criticism, particularly an order to send elderly COVID-19 patients back to nursing homes, which may have led to as many as 9,000 additional deaths. Cuomo acknowledged he referred to this March directive as “the great debacle” in an email sent to his inner circle.

A July 2020 state Department of Health report downplayed the number of nursing home deaths, a move that a U.S. House committee described as part of a “cover-up.” The House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic alleged Cuomo’s office had altered the report, but the emails suggest Cuomo was directly involved.

The Times report indicates Cuomo personally added language to the report that placed blame on nursing home staff, visitors, and family members for spreading the virus. During his June questioning by House members, Cuomo claimed he had no recollection of reviewing or editing the report before its release on July 7, 2020.

Although Cuomo is known for avoiding the use of email, the Times noted that none of the emails in question were sent by him.

During a Capitol Hill hearing on September 10, Cuomo’s repeated denials prompted Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) to label him a “lying sack of s—t.”

Vivian Zayas, co-founder of Voice for Seniors, whose mother died in a Long Island nursing home after contracting COVID-19, attended the hearing. She accused Cuomo of lying, stating, “If he lied to Congress, he committed a crime. He should definitely be investigated.”

Cuomo’s spokesperson, Rich Azzopardi, responded to the email revelations by insisting that nursing home staff spread the virus, aligning with the findings of the original report. Azzopardi also emphasized that Cuomo cooperated fully with the congressional inquiry and argued that the findings align with CDC guidelines in place at the time.

Cuomo, who stepped down in August 2021 amid sexual misconduct allegations, has been rumored to be considering a run for New York City mayor as current Mayor Eric Adams faces growing scandals.

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Lydia O'Connor at HuffPost:

Dr. Anthony Fauci, who was the lead adviser for the government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, threw cold water on GOP accusations he masterminded a cover-up of the virus’ origins.

Fauci called the claims “absolutely false and simply preposterous” during a heated appearance before the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic on Monday, saying Republicans misrepresented emails between himself and other scientists about the possibility the virus was leaked from a lab. “It is inconceivable that anyone who reads this email could conclude that I was trying to cover up the possibility of a laboratory leak,” Fauci, who served as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for nearly 40 years before retiring in 2022, testified. “We spend our whole life trying to determine the causes of infectious diseases, and stop them to protect the American people,” he continued. The panel’s Republicans have not produced any evidence Fauci orchestrated a lab leak coverup, but they continue to emphasize that the nonprofit EcoHealth Alliance received funding from Fauci’s agency to conduct virus research in Wuhan, China ― where COVID-19 was first identified. They also narrowed in on a senior official working under Fauci who deleted messages and may have evaded federal records-keeping laws while emailing with EcoHealth Alliance officials.

Dr. Anthony Fauci spoke in front of House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic hearing today, and Fauci grilled the Republicans good.

[beardedmrbean]

Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is set to publicly testify Tuesday before Congress on his administration's nursing home policies during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The hearing, before the Republican-led House Oversight and Accountability Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic, will see Cuomo defend his decision to allow COVID-19-positive patients back into nursing homes and long-term care facilities while the pandemic was underway.

Cuomo previously testified before the subcommittee during a closed-door hearing in June. Transcripts from that interview, as well as with high-ranking officials during Cuomo's administration, will be released ahead of the public hearing.MORE: Andrew Cuomo subpoenaed by congressional subcommittee investigating COVID-era handling of nursing homes

"Andrew Cuomo owes answers to the 15,000 families who lost loved ones in New York's nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic," subcommittee Chairman Rep. Brad Wenstrup, R-Ohio, said in a statement last week. "On September 10, Americans will have the opportunity to hear directly from the former governor about New York's potentially fatal nursing home policies."

In March 2020, as COVID-19 cases were surging, Cuomo issued an order requiring nursing homes to readmit all residents who were "medically stable" and returning after being hospitalized for the virus.

"No resident shall be denied re-admission or admission to the [nursing home] solely based on a confirmed or suspected diagnosis of COVID-19," the order read. It further stated that nursing homes were "prohibited from requiring a hospitalized resident who is determined medically stable to be tested for COVID-19 prior to admission or readmission."

At the time, Cuomo explained that the order would help expand hospital capacity to meet the demands of caring for the sickest COVID-19 patients. After facing criticism from nursing home advocates, however, the governor amended the order in May 2020, prohibiting hospitals from discharging patients to nursing homes unless they first tested negative for COVID-19.

Cuomo fought back against criticism of his policies and, in July 2020, a report from the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) stated that COVID-19 was introduced into nursing homes by infected staff, and that peak staff infections correlated with peak nursing home resident deaths. The report also found that "admissions policies were not a significant factor in nursing home fatalities."MORE: Andrew Cuomo testifies before House panel on COVID nursing home policy

However, in January 2021, New York Attorney General Letitia James released a report that found the NYSDOH had undercounted the number of nursing home residents who died of COVID-19 by as much as 50%, and failed to count in its official death tally nursing home residents who died of COVID-19 after being admitted to hospitals.

In 2022, Cuomo's representative said the Manhattan District Attorney's office would not file criminal charges in connection with the former governor's handling of nursing home deaths during the pandemic.

Earlier this year, an independent investigation, commissioned by current New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, found that although Cuomo's nursing home response policy was based on "the best available data at the time," communication to the public was poor and caused anxiety for family members of nursing home residents.

"Even the most well-intentioned policy had unforeseen consequences in [New York state] nursing homes," the report read.

[2bpoliticallycurious]

Republicans celebrate their successful deception of voters

“The idea that I’m biased against conservatives seems somewhat insane to me, given my own personal background.”

--Christopher Wray, FBI Director

"Good for [FBI Director Christopher Wray]. But here’s what’s especially insane, absurd and ludicrous: No matter how many refutations Wray and others provide, Republicans are persuading people to believe their lies — and they are proud of the deception."

--Dana Milbank, opinion columnist for The Washington Post

Dana Milbank knocks it out of the ballpark in describing how House Republicans are convincing many people that the FBI is targeting "conservatives," despite refutations by people like lifelong Republican FBI Director Christopher Wray. This is an important summary of all the conspiracy theories that the GOP flung at Wray during their "inquisition" of him. Consequently, the above link is a gift link 🎁so you can read the entire column, even if you do not subscribe to The Washington Post.

After looking at the Wray interrogation, Milbank also discusses the GOP clown show that was a hearing of the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic. 

In addition, Milbank goes on to talk about how Gal Luft, the "star 'whistleblower' behind the allegations of corruption against President Biden and his family, was indicted on a charge of acting as an illegal arms broker and an unregistered agent for China."

Finally, Milbank talks about all the conspiratorially based amendments the GOP have added to the National Defense Authorization Act.

Below are some excerpts from his column:

An honest man visited the House of lies this week. He did not like what he found there. “Insane.” “Absurd.” “Ludicrous.” Those are the actual words FBI Director Christopher Wray used to describe House Republicans’ crackpot conspiracy theories. “The American people fully understand,” Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-Wyo.) informed Wray at Wednesday’s hearing before the House Judiciary Committee, “… that you have personally worked to weaponize the FBI against conservatives.” Right. Hageman, the election denier who ousted Liz Cheney in a primary, would have you believe that Wray — senior political appointee in the George W. Bush Justice Department, clerk to a noted conservative judge, contributor to the Federalist Society, Donald Trump-appointed head of the FBI — is part of a conspiracy to persecute conservatives. “The idea that I’m biased against conservatives seems somewhat insane to me, given my own personal background,” he replied. [...] Good for him. But here’s what’s especially insane, absurd and ludicrous: No matter how many refutations Wray and others provide, Republicans are persuading people to believe their lies — and they are proud of the deception. Johnson, the leadoff questioner at Wednesday’s hearing, told Wray about a recent NBC News poll, in which “only 37 percent of registered voters now view the FBI positively,” down from 52 percent in 2018. “That’s a serious decline in the people’s faith, and it’s on your watch,” he told Wray.

[lasseling]

LIVE: Dr. Anthony Fauci Testifies Before Coronavirus Select Subcommittee

Dr. Anthony Fauci is set to testify before the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic on June 3, 2024.

[realtalkingpoints]

From the piece:

During his testimony before the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic earlier this month, Cuomo denied any responsibility for the March 25, 2020, directive that required nursing homes to take in patients with COVID-19, saying instead that it was developed entirely within the NYSHD. Cuomo also vehemently denied being involved in the drafting of the NYSHD report that downplayed the role of the March 25 order by instead blaming the high number of nursing home-related deaths on staff who had COVID-19. The former governor told the select subcommittee during his public hearing this month that he had not even seen a draft of the report before it was released to the public. But emails obtained by the New York Times indicate that Cuomo personally wrote parts of early drafts of the NYSHD report.

[boaringoldguy]

Clown World.

We are caught in The Twilight Zone!

ntd.com CIA Officers Paid to Change Their Position on Origins of COVID-19: Whistleblower NTD 6–7 minutes

The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) seal is displayed in the lobby of CIA Headquarters in Langley, Va., on Aug. 14, 2008. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)

Six CIA officers were paid to change their position on the origins of COVID-19, according to new whistleblower testimony.

A current CIA senior officer told the U.S. House of Representatives Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic that a CIA team of seven personnel analyzed the origins of COVID-19. Six of the members believed, based on the available evidence, that they could say with low confidence that COVID-19 originated from a laboratory in Wuhan, China, where the first COVID-19 cases appeared.

The seventh and most senior member of the team thought COVID-19 came from animals.

“The whistleblower further contends that to come to the eventual public determination of uncertainty, the other six members were given a significant monetary incentive to change their position,” Rep. Brad Wenstrup (R-Ohio), chairman of the panel, and Rep. Mike Turner (R-Ohio), chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, told CIA Director William Burns in a letter on Sept. 12.

“These allegations, from a seemingly credible source, requires the Committees to conduct further oversight of how the CIA handled its internal investigation into the origins of COVID-19,” they said.

The CIA was asked to provide all documents from the CIA team that analyzed the origins of COVID-19, including communications among members regarding the analysis. Mr. Wenstrup and Mr. Turner also requested documents showing the pay history of the seven members.

“At CIA we are committed to the highest standards of analytic rigor, integrity, and objectivity. We do not pay analysts to reach specific conclusions,” a CIA spokesperson told The Epoch Times via email. “We take these allegations extremely seriously and are looking into them. We will keep our Congressional oversight committees appropriately informed.” Another Letter

In another missive, the lawmakers asked Andrew Makridis, until late 2022 the CIA’s chief operating officer, to sit and answer questions.

“The whistleblower pointed the Committees to a CIA led COVID Discovery Team(s) in which you played a central role in its formation and eventual conclusion that the CIA was ‘unable to determine’ the origins of COVID-19,” they told Mr. Makridis.

Mr. Makridis, now with Beacon Global Strategies, should participate in a voluntary interview on Sept. 26, the letter said.

The lawmakers suggested that a subpoena might be issued if Mr. Makridis declines to appear. Intelligence Report

The CIA and other intelligence agencies each offered an assessment of the origins of COVID-19.

A declassified report said that all of the agencies “continue to assess that both a natural and laboratory-associated origin remain plausible hypotheses to explain the first human infection,” though a majority of the agencies believe the virus originated in animals.

The U.S. Department of Energy and the FBI say evidence indicates the virus originated in the Wuhan lab, where testing—some U.S.-funded—of coronaviruses has been taking place for years.

Two agencies, including the CIA, “remain unable to determine the precise origin of the COVID-19 pandemic, as both hypotheses rely on significant assumptions or face challenges with conflicting reporting,” the report stated.

It also said that none of the agencies think COVID-19 was developed as a biological weapon.

Former Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe told Congress in April that the CIA’s stance was “unjustifiable, and a reflection not that the agency can’t make an assessment with any confidence, but that it won’t.” New Bill

The report was just 10 pages and was released in response to a bill passed by Congress and signed by President Joe Biden.

Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) on Sept. 11 introduced new legislation that would compel the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to release records on the COVID-19 origins.

“Every American deserves to know the truth about the origins of Covid-19, China’s involvement, and the ongoing cover-up,” Mr. Marshall said in a statement. “Yet, here we are after YEARS of asking for the Biden Administration to provide this much-needed transparency and they continue to stonewall our investigations and find ‘work arounds’ to dodge our requests.”

He added: “Every American should be asking, ‘Why is that?’ Our legislation requires the HHS to publicly release all agency records related to the origin of COVID-19, the cover-up of the pandemic origins, and coronavirus research, including vaccine development. It’s past time for answers—this is a matter of national security.”

The HHS includes the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which funded some of the research conducted at the Wuhan lab. Influenced

The NIH exerted “undue influence” in downplaying the idea that COVID-19 originated from the lab, a House report released over the summer said.

Dr. Francis Collins and Dr. Anthony Fauci, two top NIH officials, helped draft a paper that claimed to rule out the possibility of a lab origin.

Neither were listed as co-authors or thanked as contributors.

“After publication, Proximal Origin was used to downplay the lab leak hypothesis and call those who believe it may be true conspiracy theorists. Dr. Fauci and Dr. Collins tracked the paper through the review and publication process. And finally, Dr. Collins expressed dismay when Proximal Origin did not successfully kill the lab leak theory. He subsequently asked Dr. Fauci if there was anything more they could do. The next day, Dr. Fauci directly cited Proximal Origin from the White House podium,” the report stated.

Other records showed authors of the study were concerned that the virus may have come from the lab.

Editor’s note: This story has been updated with a comment from the CIA.

From The Epoch Times

[1americanconservative]

BREAKING: Explosive new whistleblower testimony from a "senior-level CIA officer" to the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic alleges the CIA tried to pay off 6 different scientific analysts if they were willing to CHANGE their positions and BURY findings that COVID came from the Wuhan Institute of Virology. The amount of those payments, and whether they were made, remain unclear The CIA pay-off scheme was reportedly orchestrated by former CIA chief operating officer Andrew Makridis. While the FBI and the Energy Department have concluded that COVID came from a lab, the CIA remains “unable to determine the precise origin of the COVID-19 pandemic." Ask yourself, why was the CIA so invested in covering up that COVID came from a lab?

Charlie Kirk

[dertaglichedan]

Explosive emails show top NIH adviser deleted records, used ‘secret’ back channels to help Fauci evade COVID transparency

A top adviser at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) deleted records critical to uncovering the origins of COVID-19 — and used a “secret back channel” to help Dr. Anthony Fauci and a federal grantee that funded gain-of-function research in Wuhan, China, evade transparency.

NIH senior adviser Dr. David Morens improperly conducted official government business from his private email account and solicited help from the NIH’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) office to dodge records requests, according to emails revealed in a memo by the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic, which The Post obtained Wednesday.

“[I] learned from our foia [sic] lady here how to make emails disappear after I am foia’d [sic] but before the search starts,” Morens wrote in a Feb. 24, 2021, email. “Plus I deleted most of those earlier emails after sending them to gmail [sic].”

[lasseling]

You Cannot Believe One Word: Fauci Defends COVID Policies in Heated Showdown With Skeptical Lawmakers

During a contentious hearing today before the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic, Dr. Anthony Fauci defended the “safe and effective” COVID-19 vaccines, but admitted science didn’t support mask mandates for children.

[jwood718]

"I'm not a U.S. representative, but I play one on television."

Martin Pengelly writing for The Guardian: Marjorie Taylor Greene says: “I’m not a doctor, but I have a PhD in recognising bullshit when I hear it.”

Oy vey.

"On Capitol Hill on Thursday, Greene attended a hearing staged by the House oversight select subcommittee on the coronavirus pandemic.

The expert Greene responded to, Dr Peter Marks, the director of biologics evaluation and research at the Food and Drug Administration, also described how at the height of the pandemic in the US, 'about 3,300 [people], about a World Trade Center disaster a day', were dying of Covid-19, contributing to a death toll of more than 1.1m."

Greene went on to spend her allotted time reiterating a slew of conspiracy theories and claims that "peer reviewed" studies had shown the exact opposite of what Dr. Marks had stated--that vaccines in fact caused multiple problems.

California Rep. Robert Garcia followed Greene with "I’m sorry you all had to go through that. That was a lot of conspiracy theories ...debunked by medical science. We should be clear that vaccines work and have saved lives...."

Dr. Marks also apologized to the public at large for having to have put up with the conspiracy theories and they damage they've caused: "...to the thousand or so parents of children under four years of age who have died of Covid-19, who were unvaccinated. Because there were deaths and there continue to be deaths among children, and that is the reason why they need to get vaccinated..."

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