AP: Justice Department sent letter to NY Governor seeking data on Covid-19 nursing home deaths

AP: Justice Department sent letter to NY Governor seeking data on Covid-19 nursing home deaths

In this photo made from video provided by the office of New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, Gov. Cuomo, signs into law, Friday, June 12, 2020, in New York, a sweeping package of police accountability measures that received new backing following protests of George Floyd's killing. The laws signed by Cuomo, a Democrat, will ban police chokeholds, make it easier to sue people who call police on others without good reason, and set up a special prosecutor's office to investigate the deaths of people during and following encounters with police officers. (Office of New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo via AP)

NEW YORK (AP) — The Justice Department sent letters to governors of New York and three other Democratic-led states seeking data on whether they violated federal law by ordering public nursing homes to accept recovering COVID-19 patients from hospitals. Those actions have been criticized for potentially fueling the spread of the virus. Prosecutors said their fact-finding letters also sent to New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Michigan were aimed at determining whether the orders “may have resulted in the deaths of thousands of elderly nursing home residents.” Spokespeople for three of the governors said the inquiry was political.

 

(Photo: AP Images)