Assemblyman Jeff Gallahan (R,C-Manchester), following a press conference with his colleagues in the Assembly Minority Conference, is calling on members of the Assembly Oversight, Health and Aging committees to sign a petition that would trigger the delivery of a subpoena to New York State Commissioner of Health Dr. Howard A. Zucker to testify and make public all data on nursing home deaths, as well as all communications from the Department of Health (DOH) and other parties that led to the decision to develop, implement and override its March 25 directive. This testimony would bring forth information that has been hidden from the Legislature and the public for months.

Gallahan, a member of the Aging committee, and other Minority members wrote the letter following the finding of a legal legislative workaround that would bypass the need for a committee chairperson to issue a subpoena that would compel Zucker to testify, as legislative law allows for a majority of a legislative committee to issue a subpoena. Collecting this majority of signatures would formalize the ability to subpoena Dr. Zucker and require him to answer questions about the massive loss of life in New York nursing homes that thousands of families have been demanding answers for.

“The members of these committees face a clear question of morality on this matter, and we will know soon enough whether they still stand with the people, or with the governor,” said Gallahan. “To think there’s still so much we don’t know about decisions that led to thousands of people dying in nursing homes is as frustrating as it is saddening, and I am hopeful our Majority colleagues in the Majority will stand up for what’s right and work with us all to get to the bottom of this tragedy.”

The letter and petition may be viewed here.