A federal judge has thrown out a $10 million wrongful death lawsuit against former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, enraging the families of nursing home residents who died during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. The lawsuit, brought by grieving relatives, accused Cuomo of violating constitutional rights through his now-infamous March 2020 directive that forced nursing homes to accept COVID-positive patients—an order many blame for thousands of avoidable deaths.
The case was dismissed by U.S. District Judge Katherine Polk Failla, who ruled that Cuomo and the state did not meet the legal threshold for liability, claiming the state didn’t “create the danger” and did not have “custody” over the nursing home residents. That technical ruling has devastated victims’ families, who see it as yet another example of the system shielding powerful politicians from consequences while ordinary Americans suffer the fallout.
More than 15,000 seniors in New York’s long-term care facilities died during the pandemic—many after Cuomo’s directive was issued. Families argue that the policy turned nursing homes into death traps, seeding vulnerable populations with a deadly virus while administrators had little power to resist the mandate.
Cuomo, who resigned in disgrace in 2021 amid unrelated sexual misconduct allegations, has consistently denied wrongdoing regarding the nursing home scandal. His spokesman, Rich Azzopardi, called the lawsuit politically motivated and pointed out that other similar cases have been dismissed.
But to the families who lost loved ones, the decision feels like a slap in the face—and a bitter reminder that no one has been held accountable for one of the most catastrophic public health decisions in New York history.
Adding insult to injury, Cuomo is now staging a political comeback, campaigning for mayor of New York City. Victims’ families say they will not forget or stay silent. Many have pledged to organize against his campaign and make sure voters are reminded of the deadly consequences of Cuomo’s COVID policies.
“He put infected patients into nursing homes and walked away while our parents and grandparents died alone,” said one woman who lost both of her parents during the outbreak. “Now he wants back into office? Not without a fight.”
While the courts may have dismissed the case, the public debate over Cuomo’s nursing home legacy is far from over. For the families of those who died, this fight isn’t just legal—it’s personal. And they’re determined to ensure that Andrew Cuomo’s record is never forgotten.