The details of Cuomo’s book deal — revealed in tax returns he released Monday — sparked a firestorm of outrage from New Yorkers whose loved ones died of COVID-19 in nursing homes after the Health Department ordered the facilities to accept infected patients discharged from hospitals.<\/p>\n
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Tracey Alvino, whose dad died after contracting the coronavirus in a Long Island nursing home, accused Cuomo of pocketing “blood money” through his lucrative contract for “American Crisis: Leadership Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic.”<\/p>\n
\u201cThese resources could have been used to fight the pandemic instead of giving him a payday,\u201d Alvino told The Post.<\/p>\n
On Thursday, Vivian Zayas, founder of the advocacy group Voices for Seniors, called Cuomo “so defiant and arrogant,” and threw his snub back at him.<\/p>\n
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“It was stupid that he defied science by putting sick people in nursing homes with vulnerable elderly and immune-compromised residents,” she said.<\/p>\n
“He made a stupid decision and won’t own up to it.”<\/p>\n
Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay (R-Syracuse) said the Democratic governor “continues to be completely dismissive and disrespectful to the individuals who paid the greatest price during the pandemic.”<\/p>\n
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“While people mourned the loss of loved ones, he lined his pockets with a $5.1 million book deal,” Barclay said.<\/p>\n
“To categorize any criticism of that as ‘stupid’ illustrates his refusal to accept accountability of any kind.”<\/p>\n