Assemblyman David G. McDonough (R,C,I-Merrick) joined members of the Assembly Minority Conference yesterday for a press conference calling for a subpoena of New York state Commissioner of Health, Dr. Howard A. Zucker. The lawmakers want Zucker to testify and provide all data on nursing home deaths, as well as all communications from the Department of Health (DOH) and other parties that led to the staggering number of nursing home deaths as well as the governor’s decision to fail to disclose nearly 50% of deaths that occurred in New York state nursing homes since the onset of the pandemic. 

“The governor has been the self-proclaimed champion of coronavirus response, going as far to write a book about his actions, however, it seems he left out the chapter on underreporting nursing home deaths by 50%. The lack of action or responsibility by the governor following the attorney general’s report is sickening. Families whose loved ones have lost their lives are left without answers.We demand answers into these deaths and the actions by the health commissioner and governor since the coronavirus pandemic began,” McDonough said.

According to Section 62-A of Legislative Law, if a majority of members on a given committee sign a petition, authority is given for that committee to issue a subpoena for an individual to appear before that committee to answer questions. There are 7 members on the Assembly Oversight Committee, 5 Majority and 2 Minority members. Only two Majority members are needed to be able to issue a subpoena to Dr. Zucker and compel him to answer questions following the scathing nursing home report by the attorney general. The lawmakers are imploring all Assembly members regardless of party lines to sign this subpoena and bring some semblance of justice and closure to the families.

Assemblyman McDonough’s may be viewed here.