WASHINGTON: The U.S. Justice Department has decided not to open a civil rights investigation into nursing homes in New York and two other states regarding their COVID-19 response, dealing a blow to several Republican lawmakers who had demanded a probe.
One underlying issue is whether three states with Democratic governors - New York, Michigan and Pennsylvania - inadvertently added to the coronavirus death toll in the early stages of the pandemic by allowing nursing homes to take in residents who had been hospitalized for COVID-19.
In a letter released late on Friday by the office of U.S. Representative Steve Scalise, a Louisiana Republican, the Justice Department said it had reviewed information provided by the states and, based on that data, it was not opening a civil rights investigation into "any public nursing facility within New York, Pennsylvania, or Michigan at this time."
The department noted that two other investigations, into a pair of nursing homes in New Jersey, remain ongoing.
Nursing homes across the United States took in COVID-19 patients in the early weeks of the outbreak, a move critics say spread the sometimes fatal respiratory virus among some of the country's most vulnerable at a time when there was no vaccine.
The issue dogged New York Governor Andrew Cuomo in particular and helped spark a reassessment of his legacy. In the early stages of the pandemic, Cuomo's daily televised news briefings made him a national figure in the fight against COVID-19. But he eventually battled allegations, including from New York state's attorney general, that his office had significantly undercounted nursing home fatalities and implemented policies that may have boosted the death toll.
Cuomo's office did not immediately return a message seeking comment on Saturday.
Scalise said on Twitter that the decision not to investigate was "absolutely shameful" and that Justice Department officials were "complicit in these Democrat governors' cover ups."
His office did not immediately return a message seeking further details.
The Department of Justice did not immediately return messages.
Reuters
Sun Jul 25 2021
People hold a memorial and a candlelight vigil honoring those that have died of COVID-19 in nursing homes. - REUTERS
Mohamed Khaled tiba di Indonesia untuk lawatan rasmi, dijadual bertemu Prabowo
Menteri Pertahanan tiba di Jakarta pada Ahad untuk lawatan kerja rasmi sulung beliau ke Indonesia sejak memegang jawatan itu.
'Tersentuh tengok golongan OKU penglihatan tunai umrah’ - Mohd Na’im
"Moga terkabul segala hajat sahabat-sahabat OKU penglihatan menunaikan ibadat umrah dan ziarah."
PM Anwar yakin terhadap IsDB dalam tangani ketidaksamaan, marginalisasi umat Islam
Bank itu mempunyai peranan untuk menangani isu ketidakadilan, ketidaksamaan dan marginalisasi terutamanya dalam kalangan umat Islam.
Harumanis antara tarikan utama Agrofiesta 2024
Mangga harumanis dan produk makanan berasaskan mangga antara tarikan utama pada penganjuran Agrofiesta 2024.
NIOSH sedia beri khidmat nasihat depani cabaran perubahan iklim
NIOSH bersedia memberikan khidmat nasihat serta rundingan bagi membantu kerajaan, majikan dan pekerja menghadapi cabaran berkaitan perubahan iklim.
Malaysia negara pertama terima visa haji
Malaysia menjadi negara pertama yang menerima pengeluaran visa haji daripada Kementerian Haji dan Umrah Arab Saudi bagi jemaah musim haji 1445H/2024.
Menteri Indonesia bincang isu pekerja migran dengan rakan sejawat dari Malaysia
Fauziyah harap Steven akan membawa penambahbaikan kepada dasar berkaitan tenaga kerja Indonesia.
Pahang peruntuk RM1.5 juta bantuan tunai bakal jemaah haji
Sebanyak 1,588 jemaah haji Pahang menerima sumbangan 'duit poket' berjumlah RM750 seorang bagi membantu meringankan beban bakal haji dalam melakukan persiapan melaksanakan rukun Islam kelima itu.
PRK Kuala Kubu Baharu: Pengundi jangan mudah percaya taktik fitnah - Ramanan
Ramanan berkata pengundi perlu lebih berhati-hati, dan sentiasa menyemak fakta apabila mendengar kempen politik yang dilakukan pihak lawan.
KEDA berhasrat tanam padi wangi, padi huma tahun ini
Lembaga Kemajuan Wilayah Kedah (KEDA) berhasrat membangunkan tanaman padi wangi dan padi huma di beberapa kawasan pertanian dalam wilayahnya, tahun ini.
Pembaharuan fiskal kerajaan bantu perkukuhkan lagi keyakinan pelabur - MoF
Pembaharuan fiskal yang dilaksanakan kerajaan telah membantu memperkukuh lagi keyakinan pelabur terhadap Malaysia, kata Kementerian Kewangan.
Amir Hamzah ketuai delegasi ke mesyuarat bersama pelabur di New York
Menteri Kewangan II Senator Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan mengetuai delegasi Malaysia ke mesyuarat bersama pelabur di New York, Amerika Syarikat dari 14 April hingga 16 April, 2024.
Gempa bumi di New York, New Jersey: Kementerian Luar giat selaras usaha
Gegaran dirasai di seluruh kawasan Tri-State (New York, New Jersey, Connecticut) dan sejauh utara Massachusetts.
Wanita tergamak ketuk kepala ibu dengan periuk sampai mati
Seorang wanita tergamak mengetuk ibunya dengan periuk masak hingga mati dan kemudian menelefon pihak kecemasan dengan mengakui melakukan pembunuhan kejam itu.
Umat Islam di New York teruja sambut kedatangan Ramadan
Ribuan umat Islam di New York menyambut permulaan Ramadan pada Ahad, dengan berkumpul di Times Square yang simbolik.
Pemilu 2024: Biarpun jauh di New York, Cinta Laura Kiehl tidak lepas tanggungjawab mengundi
Biarpun Jauh Di New York, Cinta Laura Kiehl Tak Lepas Tanggungjawab Mengundi Sempena PEMILU 2024
Final Piala Dunia 2026 di New York
New York mengenepikan bidaan daripada Dallas untuk memastikan perlawanan final diadakan di bandar raya itu.
Apple Vision Pro mula dijual di New York
Apple Vision Pro dijual pada harga AS$3,499 atau RM16,500 dan dijual dengan storan 256 GB.
COVID-19, flu meningkat di AS ketika musim cuti, tingkat risiko kesihatan
Amerika Syarikat (AS) mengalami peningkatan kes flu dan COVID-19 di tengah-tengah musim cuti.
PBB gesa koridor kemanusiaan buat Gaza dibuka tanpa syarat
Beliau turut menyuarakan bahawa segala bentuk keganasan dan pertumbahan darah antara Palestin dan Israel ketika ini dihentikan serta merta.