White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki dodged questions Sunday about whether President Biden still believes Governor Andrew Cuomo represents the “golden standard” for responding to the COVID-19 pandemic amid his scandal over the deaths of nursing homes in New York.
The president described Cuomo as “a kind of gold standard” last spring, when the governor was praised for his daily news reports on how the state treated COVID-19.
Jon Karl, ABC News host Jon Karl, asked Psaki if Biden still held that view.
“We work with Governor Cuomo in the same way we work with governors across the country,” Psaki said, without answering the question, but noted that Cuomo is the president of the National Association of Governors.
“It plays an important role in making sure we coordinate closely to get help from people in your state and states across the country and we will continue to do so.”
“And of course there will be a process. There is research. We will leave that to other people to determine: the competent authorities to enforce the law to determine how this path will move as we wait, ”Psaki said.
The FBI and the American lawyer in Brooklyn are investigating the Cuomo administration amid revelations that detained the total number of nursing home residents who died from the coronavirus due to fears that the Trump administration would retaliate politically.
Karl continued to pressure Psaki on whether Biden still had the same vision as Cuomo.
“Well, it doesn’t always have to be a yes or no answer, Jon. I think the president is focused on his goals, his goals as president of the United States. He will continue to work with Governor Cuomo, just as he will continue to work with governors across the country, ”he said, continuing to evade.
“And I’m not here to give the president new labels or names. I am here to communicate with you what our focus is and what your goals are as President. “