"Former Cuomo aides level harsh criticism at governor - As Cuomo touts his COVID-19 successes, unrest within the administration"
Chris Bragg
Dec. 7, 2020
Updated: Dec. 7, 2020 4:15 p.m.
ALBANY – Two former aides to Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo have recently offered harsh criticism of the governor, with one alleging over the weekend that the work environment in the governor’s office is “beyond toxic.”
That criticism came from Lindsey Boylan, who worked from 2015 to 2018 as deputy secretary for economic development and as a special advisor to Cuomo.
Over the weekend, Boylan fired off a Twitter thread detailing a work environment where a handful of close Cuomo advisors exert control and the rest of the staff in his office feels marginalized.
She alleged that if you’re not “one of those handful, your life working for him is endlessly dispiriting.”
“If people weren’t deathly afraid of him, they’d be saying the same thing and you’d already know the stories,” Boylan wrote of the governor.
“Seriously, the messages and texts I receive when I speak the truth about this."
"... It’s a whole book of people who have been harmed.”
Boylan stated that she tried three times to quit Cuomo’s office “before it stuck.”
She also suggested she'd declined to sign some type of non-disclosure agreement when leaving the job, stating that she did not “sign whatever they told me to sign when I left.”
Richard Azzopardi, a spokesman for Cuomo, on Monday said that Boylan had not been asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement and declined further comment.
Boylan is in the midst of a political campaign, running in the 2021 election for Manhattan borough president.
In June, Boylan lost a Democratic primary for U.S. Congress to incumbent U.S. Rep. Jerry Nadler.
In the biography section for her congressional campaign, Boylan stated that in the governor’s office she had worked on “some of the biggest issues facing New Yorkers,” including the $15 minimum wage and paid family leave.
She stated that part of her job in the governor’s office was managing the Office of Storm Recovery, where she said she assisted with disaster relief for New York in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria.
Boylan’s criticism follows that of Alexis Grenell, a New York City-based political consultant who worked as deputy director for intergovernmental affairs under Cuomo from 2009 to 2010, when Cuomo was state attorney general.
In a late November op-ed in The Nation, Grenell asserted that when Cuomo is criticized on matters such as his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, he or his staff “reflexively insult” the person leveling the criticism.
“It all boils down to this: Any dissent is a partisan attack on our very lives, and Andrew Cuomo is our only hope,” Grenell wrote.
Grenell also compared Cuomo's recent book on his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic to a coach putting out a press release at half-time of a game.
"The book is an undignified victory lap by the facts-first persona that won him legitimate praise to begin with, underscoring the point that for Cuomo it was always more about presentation than substance," she wrote, later juxtaposing Cuomo's interaction with reporters to that of New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio.
"Say what you will about de Blasio, but he sits for twice-weekly interviews with Errol Louis on NY1 and Brian Lehrer on WNYC," Grenell said.
"New Yorkers know where to tune in to see their mayor submit to regular scrutiny and call in to ask direct questions."
"Cuomo’s desperately curated image is more than half the reason he’s the dominant player over the mayor, but he still can’t seem to keep his vanity in check. "
Azzopardi, Cuomo's spokesman, has previously called Grenell’s criticisms the musings of a "brand-building political" consultant.
https://www.timesunion.com/news/article ... 09a3f12c1f
THE YOUNG ANDY CUOMO CHRONICLES
Re: THE YOUNG ANDY CUOMO CHRONICLES
"State requires counties to sign agreement before receiving coronavirus vaccines - Governor's vaccination chief urges patience as frustration over plan grows"
Brendan J. Lyons, Albany, New York Times Union
Dec. 30, 2020
ALBANY — The state health department ordered county officials this week to quickly sign a "memorandum of understanding" giving the state full control of the coronavirus vaccination process in order for those counties and other "authorized vaccine providers" to receive and administer the doses.
The memorandum was delivered to county officials across the state late Tuesday, and they were given a deadline of noon Wednesday to sign and return it, several officials said.
The move caught many county officials off-guard and has further strained the tenuous relations between the state and counties that have been preparing mass-vaccination plans for years but, according to some officials, seen those efforts largely brushed aside by the administration of Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo.
The governor's task force has responded that the distribution of vaccines to nearly 20 million New Yorkers is an unprecedented undertaking that requires meticulous management by the state to ensure the process is done properly.
Larry Schwartz, a member of Cuomo's coronavirus task force who is leading the state's vaccination efforts, said any organization or municipality receiving the vaccines is being required to sign the agreement.
"We have to ensure they are following the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) guidance and the state guidance on who is to receive the vaccine," he said.
"That MOU ensures us that they are going to follow the CDC guidance and the state guidance regarding the allocation of the vaccine."
"… To me, nobody should have an issue with that."
The agreement states that any county health department or other authorized vaccine provider "is not at liberty to utilize the vaccine unless and until it is directed to administer it by (the state health department) at a later date, which may involve allocation or redistribution of vaccine initially delivered to such site, and which may be further informed by (the state's) vaccination program, vaccine prioritization matrix, or other specific directives."
The agreement also enables the state to reallocate vaccine doses to other facilities or locations at its discretion if there is a more pressing need elsewhere.
"It would be better if we knew what was expected of us and how our infrastructure is going to be used before having a document like that dropped on us," said Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro.
"We acknowledge the fear that you could have counties or any provider go rogue, but it’s the first time we’ve seen something like this with that explicit language."
Some county leaders said they also are not receiving detailed data from the state on how many doses have been delivered to their counties or the hospitals in their regions, and they are not being informed of who or how many people have already been vaccinated in their communities.
Schwartz countered that the vaccination program is only in its third week.
More than 200,000 people in New York have been vaccinated, and nearly all of those are front-line health care workers in hospitals, nursing home residents and staff, paramedics and emergency medical technicians, and the populations of congregate care settings, including developmentally disabled individuals.
"I understand they want information and we will work with them to get it, but the program just began and the program is limited to those groups," Schwartz said.
"So I don’t think they need to know which of the high-risk health care workers in the hospital have been vaccinated."
Frank E. Thomas, chairman of the Warren County Board of Supervisors, said the frustration among some county leaders is due to their inability to provide more information to the public.
"There is frustration as far as counties want the data for each county, as far as how many vaccines come into each county," he said.
"It doesn’t seem to be very forthcoming from the state."
"... (We are) getting a lot of questions from the public ... and they don’t have the answers."
Rensselaer County Executive Steve McLaughlin, a frequent Cuomo critic, said his office also has not been provided details of who has been vaccinated in that county, and he questioned the necessity of the memorandum of understanding when there is "one mission" to vaccinate those who want it.
"We are worried that delays and a lack of coordination by the state will result in days turning into weeks, and weeks turning into months as we wait for vaccines," McLaughlin said.
"The time the state has spent crafting MOUs or deciding which group gets to jump the line distracts from getting the vaccines onto trucks and delivered across the state to all residents."
The governor and other members of his office and the coronavirus task force have not been vaccinated.
A spokesman for Cuomo said they would likely wait until the general public is being vaccinated, and to use it as an opportunity to reassure people the vaccines are safe and effective.
McLaughlin, a former state assemblyman, said there is "growing concern about the lack of communication by the state to local partners including those of us in Rensselaer County."
"There should be specific dates on when the vaccines will be received and when they are expected to be administered."
Thomas, who is supervisor of the town of Stony Creek in southwest Warren County, noted that while there is some frustration among many county leaders, it is a "big undertaking" to vaccinate what state health officials hope will be at least 90 percent of the population.
"It’s never been done before; it’s a lot of people," Thomas said.
"I do think after a while the county public health departments in the state will come together and this will hopefully work out."
"I think it’s just like anything — there’s a lot of frustration at the moment."
A spokesman for Albany County Executive Daniel McCoy said he was not available to be interviewed for this story due to undisclosed "personal matters."
The spokesman said McCoy signed the agreement and the "Albany County (health department) has been preparing for a public health crisis like this for years and is prepared to help make the distribution process as quick and efficient as possible."
The memorandum of understanding the state sent to county leaders late Tuesday came a week after the state health department sent an email to New York's county health departments "to gauge the capability" of the local agencies to receive and administer COVID-19 vaccines.
Counties have for years been planning for a mass vaccination under training programs funded with federal grants administered by the state.
Gareth Rhodes, another member of the governor's coronavirus task force, last week said the county health departments and their pre-designated "points of distribution" vaccination sites will still be integral to the state's regional setup.
"That doesn’t throw their plan in the trash; that just says we’re not just dumping the vaccine on your doorstep and saying, 'You have a plan, we assume it’s going to work — go for it,'" Rhodes said.
"Then when it goes wrong, everyone blames the state."
Written By Brendan J. Lyons
Brendan J. Lyons is a Managing Editor for the Times Union overseeing the Capitol Bureau and Investigations. Lyons joined the Times Union in 1998 as a crime reporter before being assigned to the investigations team. He became editor of the investigations team in 2013 and began overseeing the Capitol Bureau in 2017. You can reach him at blyons@timesunion.com or (518) 454-5547.
https://www.timesunion.com/news/article ... 836762.php
Brendan J. Lyons, Albany, New York Times Union
Dec. 30, 2020
ALBANY — The state health department ordered county officials this week to quickly sign a "memorandum of understanding" giving the state full control of the coronavirus vaccination process in order for those counties and other "authorized vaccine providers" to receive and administer the doses.
The memorandum was delivered to county officials across the state late Tuesday, and they were given a deadline of noon Wednesday to sign and return it, several officials said.
The move caught many county officials off-guard and has further strained the tenuous relations between the state and counties that have been preparing mass-vaccination plans for years but, according to some officials, seen those efforts largely brushed aside by the administration of Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo.
The governor's task force has responded that the distribution of vaccines to nearly 20 million New Yorkers is an unprecedented undertaking that requires meticulous management by the state to ensure the process is done properly.
Larry Schwartz, a member of Cuomo's coronavirus task force who is leading the state's vaccination efforts, said any organization or municipality receiving the vaccines is being required to sign the agreement.
"We have to ensure they are following the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) guidance and the state guidance on who is to receive the vaccine," he said.
"That MOU ensures us that they are going to follow the CDC guidance and the state guidance regarding the allocation of the vaccine."
"… To me, nobody should have an issue with that."
The agreement states that any county health department or other authorized vaccine provider "is not at liberty to utilize the vaccine unless and until it is directed to administer it by (the state health department) at a later date, which may involve allocation or redistribution of vaccine initially delivered to such site, and which may be further informed by (the state's) vaccination program, vaccine prioritization matrix, or other specific directives."
The agreement also enables the state to reallocate vaccine doses to other facilities or locations at its discretion if there is a more pressing need elsewhere.
"It would be better if we knew what was expected of us and how our infrastructure is going to be used before having a document like that dropped on us," said Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro.
"We acknowledge the fear that you could have counties or any provider go rogue, but it’s the first time we’ve seen something like this with that explicit language."
Some county leaders said they also are not receiving detailed data from the state on how many doses have been delivered to their counties or the hospitals in their regions, and they are not being informed of who or how many people have already been vaccinated in their communities.
Schwartz countered that the vaccination program is only in its third week.
More than 200,000 people in New York have been vaccinated, and nearly all of those are front-line health care workers in hospitals, nursing home residents and staff, paramedics and emergency medical technicians, and the populations of congregate care settings, including developmentally disabled individuals.
"I understand they want information and we will work with them to get it, but the program just began and the program is limited to those groups," Schwartz said.
"So I don’t think they need to know which of the high-risk health care workers in the hospital have been vaccinated."
Frank E. Thomas, chairman of the Warren County Board of Supervisors, said the frustration among some county leaders is due to their inability to provide more information to the public.
"There is frustration as far as counties want the data for each county, as far as how many vaccines come into each county," he said.
"It doesn’t seem to be very forthcoming from the state."
"... (We are) getting a lot of questions from the public ... and they don’t have the answers."
Rensselaer County Executive Steve McLaughlin, a frequent Cuomo critic, said his office also has not been provided details of who has been vaccinated in that county, and he questioned the necessity of the memorandum of understanding when there is "one mission" to vaccinate those who want it.
"We are worried that delays and a lack of coordination by the state will result in days turning into weeks, and weeks turning into months as we wait for vaccines," McLaughlin said.
"The time the state has spent crafting MOUs or deciding which group gets to jump the line distracts from getting the vaccines onto trucks and delivered across the state to all residents."
The governor and other members of his office and the coronavirus task force have not been vaccinated.
A spokesman for Cuomo said they would likely wait until the general public is being vaccinated, and to use it as an opportunity to reassure people the vaccines are safe and effective.
McLaughlin, a former state assemblyman, said there is "growing concern about the lack of communication by the state to local partners including those of us in Rensselaer County."
"There should be specific dates on when the vaccines will be received and when they are expected to be administered."
Thomas, who is supervisor of the town of Stony Creek in southwest Warren County, noted that while there is some frustration among many county leaders, it is a "big undertaking" to vaccinate what state health officials hope will be at least 90 percent of the population.
"It’s never been done before; it’s a lot of people," Thomas said.
"I do think after a while the county public health departments in the state will come together and this will hopefully work out."
"I think it’s just like anything — there’s a lot of frustration at the moment."
A spokesman for Albany County Executive Daniel McCoy said he was not available to be interviewed for this story due to undisclosed "personal matters."
The spokesman said McCoy signed the agreement and the "Albany County (health department) has been preparing for a public health crisis like this for years and is prepared to help make the distribution process as quick and efficient as possible."
The memorandum of understanding the state sent to county leaders late Tuesday came a week after the state health department sent an email to New York's county health departments "to gauge the capability" of the local agencies to receive and administer COVID-19 vaccines.
Counties have for years been planning for a mass vaccination under training programs funded with federal grants administered by the state.
Gareth Rhodes, another member of the governor's coronavirus task force, last week said the county health departments and their pre-designated "points of distribution" vaccination sites will still be integral to the state's regional setup.
"That doesn’t throw their plan in the trash; that just says we’re not just dumping the vaccine on your doorstep and saying, 'You have a plan, we assume it’s going to work — go for it,'" Rhodes said.
"Then when it goes wrong, everyone blames the state."
Written By Brendan J. Lyons
Brendan J. Lyons is a Managing Editor for the Times Union overseeing the Capitol Bureau and Investigations. Lyons joined the Times Union in 1998 as a crime reporter before being assigned to the investigations team. He became editor of the investigations team in 2013 and began overseeing the Capitol Bureau in 2017. You can reach him at blyons@timesunion.com or (518) 454-5547.
https://www.timesunion.com/news/article ... 836762.php
Re: THE YOUNG ANDY CUOMO CHRONICLES
THE CAPE CHARLES MIRROR December 31, 2020 at 7:31 pm
Paul Plante says:
Getting back to Andy Cuomo, called “The Honker” because he talks through his nose so that he sounds like a goose honking when he gets excited, which with Andy is often, according to an Albany, New York article entitled “State requires counties to sign agreement before receiving coronavirus vaccines – Governor’s vaccination chief urges patience as frustration over plan grows” by Brendan J. Lyons on Dec. 30, 2020, the state’s COVID response is as ****** up today as it ever was, if not more so, to wit:
ALBANY — The state health department ordered county officials this week to quickly sign a “memorandum of understanding” giving the state full control of the coronavirus vaccination process in order for those counties and other “authorized vaccine providers” to receive and administer the doses.
The memorandum was delivered to county officials across the state late Tuesday, and they were given a deadline of noon Wednesday to sign and return it, several officials said.
The move caught many county officials off-guard and has further strained the tenuous relations between the state and counties that have been preparing mass-vaccination plans for years but, according to some officials, seen those efforts largely brushed aside by the administration of Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo.
end quotes
For Andy, there is a very small stage in New York with only room for him on it, and there is a very small spotlight, with room for only him in it, so of course these other public officials are being brushed aside.
Getting back to that article as to why COVID vaccine distribution in the Democratic Socialist stronghold of New York state is so ****** up, we have:
The governor’s task force has responded that the distribution of vaccines to nearly 20 million New Yorkers is an unprecedented undertaking that requires meticulous management by the state to ensure the process is done properly.
end quotes
Uh, sure, okay, no, truly, whatever you say, although they have had months now to get prepared for exactly that outcome.
And back to that story we go, as follows:
Larry Schwartz, a member of Cuomo’s coronavirus task force who is leading the state’s vaccination efforts, said any organization or municipality receiving the vaccines is being required to sign the agreement.
“We have to ensure they are following the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) guidance and the state guidance on who is to receive the vaccine,” he said.
“That MOU ensures us that they are going to follow the CDC guidance and the state guidance regarding the allocation of the vaccine.”
“… To me, nobody should have an issue with that.”
The agreement states that any county health department or other authorized vaccine provider “is not at liberty to utilize the vaccine unless and until it is directed to administer it by (the state health department) at a later date, which may involve allocation or redistribution of vaccine initially delivered to such site, and which may be further informed by (the state’s) vaccination program, vaccine prioritization matrix, or other specific directives.”
The agreement also enables the state to reallocate vaccine doses to other facilities or locations at its discretion if there is a more pressing need elsewhere.
end quotes
As can be expected of a Democratic Socialist, this program remains a complete **** up, which takes us back to that article for more as follows:
Frank E. Thomas, chairman of the Warren County Board of Supervisors, said the frustration among some county leaders is due to their inability to provide more information to the public.
“There is frustration as far as counties want the data for each county, as far as how many vaccines come into each county,” he said.
“It doesn’t seem to be very forthcoming from the state.”
“… (We are) getting a lot of questions from the public … and they don’t have the answers.”
Rensselaer County Executive Steve McLaughlin, a frequent Cuomo critic, said his office also has not been provided details of who has been vaccinated in that county, and he questioned the necessity of the memorandum of understanding when there is “one mission” to vaccinate those who want it.
“We are worried that delays and a lack of coordination by the state will result in days turning into weeks, and weeks turning into months as we wait for vaccines,” McLaughlin said.
“The time the state has spent crafting MOUs or deciding which group gets to jump the line distracts from getting the vaccines onto trucks and delivered across the state to all residents.”
McLaughlin, a former state assemblyman, said there is “growing concern about the lack of communication by the state to local partners including those of us in Rensselaer County.”
“There should be specific dates on when the vaccines will be received and when they are expected to be administered.”
end quotes
Yes, there should be, and in a better run state, there would be.
But New York state under Democratic Socialist Andy Cuomo is not one of them.
Which will probably earn him another Edward M. Kennedy Institute Award for Inspired Leadership.
http://www.capecharlesmirror.com/news/a ... ent-312696
Paul Plante says:
Getting back to Andy Cuomo, called “The Honker” because he talks through his nose so that he sounds like a goose honking when he gets excited, which with Andy is often, according to an Albany, New York article entitled “State requires counties to sign agreement before receiving coronavirus vaccines – Governor’s vaccination chief urges patience as frustration over plan grows” by Brendan J. Lyons on Dec. 30, 2020, the state’s COVID response is as ****** up today as it ever was, if not more so, to wit:
ALBANY — The state health department ordered county officials this week to quickly sign a “memorandum of understanding” giving the state full control of the coronavirus vaccination process in order for those counties and other “authorized vaccine providers” to receive and administer the doses.
The memorandum was delivered to county officials across the state late Tuesday, and they were given a deadline of noon Wednesday to sign and return it, several officials said.
The move caught many county officials off-guard and has further strained the tenuous relations between the state and counties that have been preparing mass-vaccination plans for years but, according to some officials, seen those efforts largely brushed aside by the administration of Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo.
end quotes
For Andy, there is a very small stage in New York with only room for him on it, and there is a very small spotlight, with room for only him in it, so of course these other public officials are being brushed aside.
Getting back to that article as to why COVID vaccine distribution in the Democratic Socialist stronghold of New York state is so ****** up, we have:
The governor’s task force has responded that the distribution of vaccines to nearly 20 million New Yorkers is an unprecedented undertaking that requires meticulous management by the state to ensure the process is done properly.
end quotes
Uh, sure, okay, no, truly, whatever you say, although they have had months now to get prepared for exactly that outcome.
And back to that story we go, as follows:
Larry Schwartz, a member of Cuomo’s coronavirus task force who is leading the state’s vaccination efforts, said any organization or municipality receiving the vaccines is being required to sign the agreement.
“We have to ensure they are following the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) guidance and the state guidance on who is to receive the vaccine,” he said.
“That MOU ensures us that they are going to follow the CDC guidance and the state guidance regarding the allocation of the vaccine.”
“… To me, nobody should have an issue with that.”
The agreement states that any county health department or other authorized vaccine provider “is not at liberty to utilize the vaccine unless and until it is directed to administer it by (the state health department) at a later date, which may involve allocation or redistribution of vaccine initially delivered to such site, and which may be further informed by (the state’s) vaccination program, vaccine prioritization matrix, or other specific directives.”
The agreement also enables the state to reallocate vaccine doses to other facilities or locations at its discretion if there is a more pressing need elsewhere.
end quotes
As can be expected of a Democratic Socialist, this program remains a complete **** up, which takes us back to that article for more as follows:
Frank E. Thomas, chairman of the Warren County Board of Supervisors, said the frustration among some county leaders is due to their inability to provide more information to the public.
“There is frustration as far as counties want the data for each county, as far as how many vaccines come into each county,” he said.
“It doesn’t seem to be very forthcoming from the state.”
“… (We are) getting a lot of questions from the public … and they don’t have the answers.”
Rensselaer County Executive Steve McLaughlin, a frequent Cuomo critic, said his office also has not been provided details of who has been vaccinated in that county, and he questioned the necessity of the memorandum of understanding when there is “one mission” to vaccinate those who want it.
“We are worried that delays and a lack of coordination by the state will result in days turning into weeks, and weeks turning into months as we wait for vaccines,” McLaughlin said.
“The time the state has spent crafting MOUs or deciding which group gets to jump the line distracts from getting the vaccines onto trucks and delivered across the state to all residents.”
McLaughlin, a former state assemblyman, said there is “growing concern about the lack of communication by the state to local partners including those of us in Rensselaer County.”
“There should be specific dates on when the vaccines will be received and when they are expected to be administered.”
end quotes
Yes, there should be, and in a better run state, there would be.
But New York state under Democratic Socialist Andy Cuomo is not one of them.
Which will probably earn him another Edward M. Kennedy Institute Award for Inspired Leadership.
http://www.capecharlesmirror.com/news/a ... ent-312696
Re: THE YOUNG ANDY CUOMO CHRONICLES
"State Police investigating COVID-19 vaccine distribution outside of protocols - Provider based in NYC, Orange County touted giving Moderna vaccine to public"
Staff and wire reports, Albany, New York Times Union
Dec. 27, 2020
Updated: Dec. 27, 2020 2:45 p.m.
NEW YORK (AP) — Police and health officials were probing Saturday whether an Orange County health care provider violated state guidelines in the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines.
State Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker said in a statement that his office and State Police were investigating ParCare Community Health Network in Orange County.
Zucker said he had received reports that ParCare may have fraudulently obtained the vaccine and diverted it to other facilities to be given to members of the public.
The state has prioritized front-line health care workers, long-term care residents and staffers to receive the vaccine first.
The first vaccine in the state was given to a critical care nurse in Queens on Dec. 14.
“We take this very seriously and DOH will be assisting State Police in a criminal investigation into this matter,” Zucker said.
“Anyone found to have knowingly participated in this scheme will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
ParCare lists four locations in Brooklyn, one in Manhattan and one in the village of Monroe, Orange County on its website.
ONE SMALL INJECTION CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY! our @ParCare Centers received thousands of #COVID19 #Moderna #vaccines this morning. Thanks to @UPS and our dedicated staff who woke up early to receive this lifesaving shipment #healthcareheroes pic.twitter.com/LVq0TKROKf
— ParCare Medical Cntr (@ParCare) December 21, 2020
In an emailed statement, the company said it would cooperate with the investigation and that it “has a long history of partnering with the city of New York to provide vital healthcare services to New Yorkers who need them most — including providing COVID-19 testing — especially for New Yorkers in medically underserved communities who’ve been hardest hit by COVID-19.”
On Dec. 21 ParCare tweeted pictures of "thousands" of doses it received, as well as a picture of a rabbi receiving the vaccine on Dec. 24.
Statements from ParCare the same day said they were providing Moderna vaccines to people who signed up online if they were older than age 60, or who had underlying medical conditions.
“Hundreds of patients were already vaccinated today, and people are still coming in,” Gary Schlesinger, the CEO and president of ParCare, said in a statement earlier in the week.
The Associated Press and Times Union's Lauren Stanforth contributed to this report
https://www.timesunion.com/news/article ... 830154.php
Staff and wire reports, Albany, New York Times Union
Dec. 27, 2020
Updated: Dec. 27, 2020 2:45 p.m.
NEW YORK (AP) — Police and health officials were probing Saturday whether an Orange County health care provider violated state guidelines in the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines.
State Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker said in a statement that his office and State Police were investigating ParCare Community Health Network in Orange County.
Zucker said he had received reports that ParCare may have fraudulently obtained the vaccine and diverted it to other facilities to be given to members of the public.
The state has prioritized front-line health care workers, long-term care residents and staffers to receive the vaccine first.
The first vaccine in the state was given to a critical care nurse in Queens on Dec. 14.
“We take this very seriously and DOH will be assisting State Police in a criminal investigation into this matter,” Zucker said.
“Anyone found to have knowingly participated in this scheme will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
ParCare lists four locations in Brooklyn, one in Manhattan and one in the village of Monroe, Orange County on its website.
ONE SMALL INJECTION CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY! our @ParCare Centers received thousands of #COVID19 #Moderna #vaccines this morning. Thanks to @UPS and our dedicated staff who woke up early to receive this lifesaving shipment #healthcareheroes pic.twitter.com/LVq0TKROKf
— ParCare Medical Cntr (@ParCare) December 21, 2020
In an emailed statement, the company said it would cooperate with the investigation and that it “has a long history of partnering with the city of New York to provide vital healthcare services to New Yorkers who need them most — including providing COVID-19 testing — especially for New Yorkers in medically underserved communities who’ve been hardest hit by COVID-19.”
On Dec. 21 ParCare tweeted pictures of "thousands" of doses it received, as well as a picture of a rabbi receiving the vaccine on Dec. 24.
Statements from ParCare the same day said they were providing Moderna vaccines to people who signed up online if they were older than age 60, or who had underlying medical conditions.
“Hundreds of patients were already vaccinated today, and people are still coming in,” Gary Schlesinger, the CEO and president of ParCare, said in a statement earlier in the week.
The Associated Press and Times Union's Lauren Stanforth contributed to this report
https://www.timesunion.com/news/article ... 830154.php
Re: THE YOUNG ANDY CUOMO CHRONICLES
THE CAPE CHARLES MIRROR January 1, 2021 at 7:59 pm
Paul Plante says:
And going back for a moment to that Albany, New York Times Union article entitled “State requires counties to sign agreement before receiving coronavirus vaccines – Governor’s vaccination chief urges patience as frustration over plan grows” by Brendan J. Lyons on Dec. 30, 2020 while we ponder life in the Land of What The **** here to the north of the Commonwealth of Virginia with its copycat Democrat governor “Ralph “Ol’ Blackface” Northam, a “state” where Democratic Socialist strongman Andy Cuomo rules supreme with all the power of a Roman dictator, we have the following interesting revelation, to wit:
The governor and other members of his office and the coronavirus task force have not been vaccinated.
A spokesman for Cuomo said they would likely wait until the general public is being vaccinated, and to use it as an opportunity to reassure people the vaccines are safe and effective.
end quotes
HUH?
Speaking of being in the Land of What The ****, what’s up with that, one must wonder.
Governor Andy and other members of his office and the coronavirus task force have not been vaccinated and they would likely wait until the general public is being vaccinated, and to use it as an opportunity to reassure people the vaccines are safe and effective?
That seems like BULL**** to me given that on Friday, December 4, 2020, ABC 7 ran a story titled “Coronavirus NY News: Cuomo shows off the ‘weapon that’s going to win the war'” wherein Cuomo was touting the vaccine as follows:
NEW YORK (WABC) — New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo unpacked a sample box of coronavirus vaccine, demonstrating the packaging and shipment required for ultra-cold storage.
The show-and-tell was a demonstration of what Cuomo described as the “weapon that’s going to win the war.”
end quotes
Think about that, people – the “weapon that’s going to win the war.”
What a powerful statement!
OH, the drama of the moment, and what drama it would have been if Andy had rolled up his own sleeve and sat there calmly while his health commissioner and proctologist Howie Zucker came onstage from the wings with a gold needle full of vaccine resting on a cushion of purple velvet and gave Andy the shot right then and there!
Oh, how the multitudes would have cheered and felt good about themselves, as a result, more confident about getting the vaccine than they otherwise would have been, and now are, by the spectacle of Andy and his crowd, including Howie Zucker all saying, “Ah, well, hey, you know, we’re going to take a pass for the good of the public, who we’ll donate our share to, somebody in an underserved community of which we have many in New York!”
Which translates out as “Hey, I wouldn’t take any of that **** if my life depended on it!”
They’re going to wait to see what that **** does to the common person before they take it, which is smart on their part, which takes us to a CBS News article on December 14, 2020 entitled “First COVID-19 vaccine given in New York as Cuomo touts ‘weapon that will end the war'”, where we had another opportunity for drama missed by Andy Cuomo, who claims to be the supreme leader of the people of New York state, which has people wondering why he is ducking getting the shot himself, to wit:
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo hosted a televised update Monday that saw critical care nurse Sandra Lindsay receive one of the first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.
“I believe this is the weapon that will end the war.”
“This is the beginning of the last chapter of the book,” he said, ahead of the public vaccination in New York City.
end quotes
Now, with good speech writing like that, and Andy’s commanding presence on stage where he looms larger than life like a modern-day George Patton, it is easy to see why Andy has become a nation-wide media darling worthy of a plethora of Edward M. Kennedy Institute Awards for Inspired Leadership, not just one.
So why is Andy putting off getting the shot?
I mean, what kind of leadership example is that?
If the stuff was as good as Andy wants us to believe it is, one would think he would be setting the same type of example as Kamala Harris who got the shot on national TV to convince the people of color that the vaccine is not some white man’s plot to kill them off the make America white again.
Think how much more powerful that message would have been if Andy had been there with her, getting the shot, as well, which takes us back to the story, as follows:
Lindsay said she felt “hopeful and relieved” about the shot.
“It didn’t feel any different from taking any other vaccine,” she told reporters.
end quotes
Not bad, but really, kind of tepid when it comes to getting the public interested in being a guinea pig for the drug companies by taking this vaccine.
Getting back to the story:
Cuomo tweeted “hope is on the way” Sunday as the first of nearly 3 million doses being shipped this week made their way by truck and by plane around the country from Pfizer’s Kalamazoo, Michigan, factory.
“The vaccine only works if people take it,” Cuomo said Monday.
end quotes
So why didn’t Andy take it then, to set an example?
What is it that he is waiting for, given that in that same news story, we are told that experts have said at least 75% of people need to get the vaccine to achieve widespread “herd immunity.”
“It’s going to take months before the vaccine hits critical mass.”
“This is the light at the end of the tunnel, but it’s a long tunnel,” Cuomo said, urging people to continue practicing coronavirus safety measures including wearing masks through the upcoming holidays.
end quotes
And that is the latest on the COVID vaccine cluster**** in the Land of What The **** north of the Commonwealth of Virginia where Cuomo wannabee Ralph “Ol’ Blackface” Northam reigns supreme.
http://www.capecharlesmirror.com/news/a ... ent-312953
Paul Plante says:
And going back for a moment to that Albany, New York Times Union article entitled “State requires counties to sign agreement before receiving coronavirus vaccines – Governor’s vaccination chief urges patience as frustration over plan grows” by Brendan J. Lyons on Dec. 30, 2020 while we ponder life in the Land of What The **** here to the north of the Commonwealth of Virginia with its copycat Democrat governor “Ralph “Ol’ Blackface” Northam, a “state” where Democratic Socialist strongman Andy Cuomo rules supreme with all the power of a Roman dictator, we have the following interesting revelation, to wit:
The governor and other members of his office and the coronavirus task force have not been vaccinated.
A spokesman for Cuomo said they would likely wait until the general public is being vaccinated, and to use it as an opportunity to reassure people the vaccines are safe and effective.
end quotes
HUH?
Speaking of being in the Land of What The ****, what’s up with that, one must wonder.
Governor Andy and other members of his office and the coronavirus task force have not been vaccinated and they would likely wait until the general public is being vaccinated, and to use it as an opportunity to reassure people the vaccines are safe and effective?
That seems like BULL**** to me given that on Friday, December 4, 2020, ABC 7 ran a story titled “Coronavirus NY News: Cuomo shows off the ‘weapon that’s going to win the war'” wherein Cuomo was touting the vaccine as follows:
NEW YORK (WABC) — New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo unpacked a sample box of coronavirus vaccine, demonstrating the packaging and shipment required for ultra-cold storage.
The show-and-tell was a demonstration of what Cuomo described as the “weapon that’s going to win the war.”
end quotes
Think about that, people – the “weapon that’s going to win the war.”
What a powerful statement!
OH, the drama of the moment, and what drama it would have been if Andy had rolled up his own sleeve and sat there calmly while his health commissioner and proctologist Howie Zucker came onstage from the wings with a gold needle full of vaccine resting on a cushion of purple velvet and gave Andy the shot right then and there!
Oh, how the multitudes would have cheered and felt good about themselves, as a result, more confident about getting the vaccine than they otherwise would have been, and now are, by the spectacle of Andy and his crowd, including Howie Zucker all saying, “Ah, well, hey, you know, we’re going to take a pass for the good of the public, who we’ll donate our share to, somebody in an underserved community of which we have many in New York!”
Which translates out as “Hey, I wouldn’t take any of that **** if my life depended on it!”
They’re going to wait to see what that **** does to the common person before they take it, which is smart on their part, which takes us to a CBS News article on December 14, 2020 entitled “First COVID-19 vaccine given in New York as Cuomo touts ‘weapon that will end the war'”, where we had another opportunity for drama missed by Andy Cuomo, who claims to be the supreme leader of the people of New York state, which has people wondering why he is ducking getting the shot himself, to wit:
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo hosted a televised update Monday that saw critical care nurse Sandra Lindsay receive one of the first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.
“I believe this is the weapon that will end the war.”
“This is the beginning of the last chapter of the book,” he said, ahead of the public vaccination in New York City.
end quotes
Now, with good speech writing like that, and Andy’s commanding presence on stage where he looms larger than life like a modern-day George Patton, it is easy to see why Andy has become a nation-wide media darling worthy of a plethora of Edward M. Kennedy Institute Awards for Inspired Leadership, not just one.
So why is Andy putting off getting the shot?
I mean, what kind of leadership example is that?
If the stuff was as good as Andy wants us to believe it is, one would think he would be setting the same type of example as Kamala Harris who got the shot on national TV to convince the people of color that the vaccine is not some white man’s plot to kill them off the make America white again.
Think how much more powerful that message would have been if Andy had been there with her, getting the shot, as well, which takes us back to the story, as follows:
Lindsay said she felt “hopeful and relieved” about the shot.
“It didn’t feel any different from taking any other vaccine,” she told reporters.
end quotes
Not bad, but really, kind of tepid when it comes to getting the public interested in being a guinea pig for the drug companies by taking this vaccine.
Getting back to the story:
Cuomo tweeted “hope is on the way” Sunday as the first of nearly 3 million doses being shipped this week made their way by truck and by plane around the country from Pfizer’s Kalamazoo, Michigan, factory.
“The vaccine only works if people take it,” Cuomo said Monday.
end quotes
So why didn’t Andy take it then, to set an example?
What is it that he is waiting for, given that in that same news story, we are told that experts have said at least 75% of people need to get the vaccine to achieve widespread “herd immunity.”
“It’s going to take months before the vaccine hits critical mass.”
“This is the light at the end of the tunnel, but it’s a long tunnel,” Cuomo said, urging people to continue practicing coronavirus safety measures including wearing masks through the upcoming holidays.
end quotes
And that is the latest on the COVID vaccine cluster**** in the Land of What The **** north of the Commonwealth of Virginia where Cuomo wannabee Ralph “Ol’ Blackface” Northam reigns supreme.
http://www.capecharlesmirror.com/news/a ... ent-312953
Re: THE YOUNG ANDY CUOMO CHRONICLES
THE NEW YORK POST
"Gov. Cuomo says AG to probe vaccine ‘fraud,’ vows $1M fine for violations"
By Bruce Golding
December 28, 2020 | 1:11pm
The state attorney general’s office will investigate allegations that a Brooklyn-based health care provider fraudulently obtained and diverted coronavirus vaccines, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Monday — and warned that even recipients of an unsanctioned shot could face penalties.
Cuomo also said he planned to sign an executive order that would establish a $1 million fine for vaccine-related fraud and allow the revocation of state licenses from violators, including doctors and nurses who crookedly administer shots.
Even patients could be prosecuted, Cuomo said, “if you received the vaccine and you knew you shouldn’t have received the vaccine.”
“The vaccine is a valuable commodity,” Cuomo said during a virtual news conference in Albany.
“You have many people who want the vaccine and you will have fraud in the vaccine process."
"It’s almost an inevitable function of human nature and the marketplace.”
Cuomo said Saturday’s announcement that the New York State Police was investigating ParCare Community Health Network involved “the only case that we’re at liberty to speak about now” and the only one with “possible criminal activity, at this point.”
“The state police believe there’s enough evidence to commence a criminal investigation and that’s why they referred it to the attorney general,” Cuomo said.
AG Letitia James “is going to take it on and make it a priority,” he said.
“We will not tolerate any fraud in the vaccination process,” Cuomo said.
“Anyone who engages in any fraud is going to be held accountable.”
In a statement late Monday afternoon, James said, “In order for the vaccine to be most effective in protecting our communities, we must all follow the same distribution plan."
"We will not tolerate any attempts to circumvent that process.”
During Cuomo’s morning news conference, Health Commissioner Howard Zucker used a baseball metaphor to describe the state’s damning allegations against ParCare.
“We provided them the vaccine because they fraudulently filled out a form that said that they were a qualified health center and that was incorrect."
"So, that’s strike one,” he said.
“And No. 2, they moved it from one area to another area, which was inappropriate."
"So, that’s strike two."
"And then they gave it to people who were not on the priority list."
"So, that’s strike three.”
Zucker added, “And as you know — anyone from New York City, I’m a Yankees fan — three strikes and they’re out.”
Top Cuomo aide Melissa DeRosa said the potential criminal charges included falsifying business records, which in certain cases can be prosecuted as a felony that’s punishable by a maximum 1-1/3 to four years in prison.
ParCare has acknowledged receiving 2,300 doses of the Moderna vaccine that were ordered by the state Department of Health and shipped to ParCare’s clinic in Orange County.
ParCare also operates five other clinics in Brooklyn and Manhattan, including one in Williamsburg where people were inoculated last week in apparent violation of guidelines that called for the first wave of vaccines to go to front-line health care workers and residents of long-term care facilities.
On Sunday, ParCare said it had only administered 869 doses and “proactively returned” the remainder of its shipment to the state amid the ongoing probe.
The company also said it “provided the documentation regarding the proper receipt of the vaccines to the NYS DOH” and “at all times exerted best efforts to comply with all NYS DOH requirements.”
A since-removed photo on Twitter, posted last week by the Rabbinical Alliance of America on Tuesday, showed ParCare CEO Gary Schlesinger was among those who were inoculated.
Also Monday, a pair of state employees — one pulling a wheeled case — were spotted entering ParCare’s Williamsburg clinic, but wouldn’t identify themselves or answer questions.
In a prepared statement, ParCare said it was “actively cooperating with the State of New York’s inquiries.”
”Gov. Cuomo himself stressed the importance of getting all the facts, and providing the facts to the state is exactly what we have done and will continue to do, including information regarding compliance with NYS DOH procedures for obtaining the vaccine and being approved by NYS DOH for distribution,” the company said.
“As always, our priority continues to be the health and wellbeing of our fellow New Yorkers.”
Additional reporting by Kevin Sheehan and Lorena Mongelli
https://nypost.com/2020/12/28/gov-cuomo ... -1m-fines/
"Gov. Cuomo says AG to probe vaccine ‘fraud,’ vows $1M fine for violations"
By Bruce Golding
December 28, 2020 | 1:11pm
The state attorney general’s office will investigate allegations that a Brooklyn-based health care provider fraudulently obtained and diverted coronavirus vaccines, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Monday — and warned that even recipients of an unsanctioned shot could face penalties.
Cuomo also said he planned to sign an executive order that would establish a $1 million fine for vaccine-related fraud and allow the revocation of state licenses from violators, including doctors and nurses who crookedly administer shots.
Even patients could be prosecuted, Cuomo said, “if you received the vaccine and you knew you shouldn’t have received the vaccine.”
“The vaccine is a valuable commodity,” Cuomo said during a virtual news conference in Albany.
“You have many people who want the vaccine and you will have fraud in the vaccine process."
"It’s almost an inevitable function of human nature and the marketplace.”
Cuomo said Saturday’s announcement that the New York State Police was investigating ParCare Community Health Network involved “the only case that we’re at liberty to speak about now” and the only one with “possible criminal activity, at this point.”
“The state police believe there’s enough evidence to commence a criminal investigation and that’s why they referred it to the attorney general,” Cuomo said.
AG Letitia James “is going to take it on and make it a priority,” he said.
“We will not tolerate any fraud in the vaccination process,” Cuomo said.
“Anyone who engages in any fraud is going to be held accountable.”
In a statement late Monday afternoon, James said, “In order for the vaccine to be most effective in protecting our communities, we must all follow the same distribution plan."
"We will not tolerate any attempts to circumvent that process.”
During Cuomo’s morning news conference, Health Commissioner Howard Zucker used a baseball metaphor to describe the state’s damning allegations against ParCare.
“We provided them the vaccine because they fraudulently filled out a form that said that they were a qualified health center and that was incorrect."
"So, that’s strike one,” he said.
“And No. 2, they moved it from one area to another area, which was inappropriate."
"So, that’s strike two."
"And then they gave it to people who were not on the priority list."
"So, that’s strike three.”
Zucker added, “And as you know — anyone from New York City, I’m a Yankees fan — three strikes and they’re out.”
Top Cuomo aide Melissa DeRosa said the potential criminal charges included falsifying business records, which in certain cases can be prosecuted as a felony that’s punishable by a maximum 1-1/3 to four years in prison.
ParCare has acknowledged receiving 2,300 doses of the Moderna vaccine that were ordered by the state Department of Health and shipped to ParCare’s clinic in Orange County.
ParCare also operates five other clinics in Brooklyn and Manhattan, including one in Williamsburg where people were inoculated last week in apparent violation of guidelines that called for the first wave of vaccines to go to front-line health care workers and residents of long-term care facilities.
On Sunday, ParCare said it had only administered 869 doses and “proactively returned” the remainder of its shipment to the state amid the ongoing probe.
The company also said it “provided the documentation regarding the proper receipt of the vaccines to the NYS DOH” and “at all times exerted best efforts to comply with all NYS DOH requirements.”
A since-removed photo on Twitter, posted last week by the Rabbinical Alliance of America on Tuesday, showed ParCare CEO Gary Schlesinger was among those who were inoculated.
Also Monday, a pair of state employees — one pulling a wheeled case — were spotted entering ParCare’s Williamsburg clinic, but wouldn’t identify themselves or answer questions.
In a prepared statement, ParCare said it was “actively cooperating with the State of New York’s inquiries.”
”Gov. Cuomo himself stressed the importance of getting all the facts, and providing the facts to the state is exactly what we have done and will continue to do, including information regarding compliance with NYS DOH procedures for obtaining the vaccine and being approved by NYS DOH for distribution,” the company said.
“As always, our priority continues to be the health and wellbeing of our fellow New Yorkers.”
Additional reporting by Kevin Sheehan and Lorena Mongelli
https://nypost.com/2020/12/28/gov-cuomo ... -1m-fines/
Re: THE YOUNG ANDY CUOMO CHRONICLES
THE NEW YORK POST
"AG Letitia James recuses herself from ParCare COVID-19 vaccine fraud probe"
By Susan Edelman
January 2, 2021 | 10:13am
State Attorney General Letitia James has recused herself from the ParCare vaccination probe “to avoid even an appearance of conflict,” her office told The Post.
The AG’s office will still investigate whether ParCare Community Health Network “fraudulently” obtained 2,300 doses of the coveted Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, a case referred by Gov. Cuomo, but James will have “zero involvement,” officials said.
James is chummy with the boss of the embattled network, which runs four Brooklyn clinics, one in upstate Kiryas Joel and another in Harlem.
Gov. Cuomo and state Health Commissioner Howard Zucker have accused ParCare of misidentifying itself as a “qualified health center” to obtain the vaccine from the state Health Department.
ParCare said it administered 869 of 2,300 vaccine doses, and handed over the remainder, along with documentation “regarding the proper receipt of the vaccines.”
The company denied any wrongdoing, and vowed to cooperate with the probe.
The recusal was announced after questions were raised whether James — a former City Councilwoman in central Brooklyn and NYC Public Advocate — is too friendly with PareCare CEO Gary Schlesinger.
“In order to avoid even an appearance of conflict, the Attorney General has personally recused herself from this matter,” a spokeswoman said in a statement.
A fixture in the Orthodox Jewish community, Schlesinger was photographed smiling broadly alongside James at a 2015 Democratic Party fund-raiser at Junior’s restaurant in downtown Brooklyn.
In January 2016, Schlesinger posted a Facebook photo of himself next to James and ParCare’s executive team, captioned, “catching up with the energetic NYC Public Advocate Letitia James to discuss healthcare needs of Brooklyn’s underserved communities.”
In 2017, Schlesinger posted a photo of himself and James “celebrating last night with my friend,” calling her the “future NYC mayor.”
In 2018, James ran for state attorney general instead of mayor.
Schlesinger was a key supporter of James’ AG campaign, and reportedly was involved in running a PAC to help her get elected.
“I endorse Tish James, who is devoted to fair justice for all and religious liberty which is why I join Jewish community leaders and advocates to endorse” her, Schlesinger posted on Facebook, one of several messages urging followers to vote for her.
The history of Schlesinger’s political alliance with James, and Cuomo plopping the ParCare probe into the AG’s lap, has raised eyebrows.
“No one’s taking it seriously as a threat,” said an Orthodox Jewish resident.
“It’s known she’s very good friends with the Hasidic community."
"She’s unlikely to do anything to jeopardize that relationship.”
AG officials said the Brooklyn born-and-bred James knows a wide range of political and community leaders in the borough, and that her relationship with Schlesinger will not compromise the probe.
“Our office will follow the facts and the law wherever they may lead,” a spokesperson said in the statement.
The offices of Cuomo and Zucker would not explain why the state failed to check ParCare’s credentials before shipping the vaccines.
https://nypost.com/2021/01/02/ag-letiti ... ine-probe/
"AG Letitia James recuses herself from ParCare COVID-19 vaccine fraud probe"
By Susan Edelman
January 2, 2021 | 10:13am
State Attorney General Letitia James has recused herself from the ParCare vaccination probe “to avoid even an appearance of conflict,” her office told The Post.
The AG’s office will still investigate whether ParCare Community Health Network “fraudulently” obtained 2,300 doses of the coveted Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, a case referred by Gov. Cuomo, but James will have “zero involvement,” officials said.
James is chummy with the boss of the embattled network, which runs four Brooklyn clinics, one in upstate Kiryas Joel and another in Harlem.
Gov. Cuomo and state Health Commissioner Howard Zucker have accused ParCare of misidentifying itself as a “qualified health center” to obtain the vaccine from the state Health Department.
ParCare said it administered 869 of 2,300 vaccine doses, and handed over the remainder, along with documentation “regarding the proper receipt of the vaccines.”
The company denied any wrongdoing, and vowed to cooperate with the probe.
The recusal was announced after questions were raised whether James — a former City Councilwoman in central Brooklyn and NYC Public Advocate — is too friendly with PareCare CEO Gary Schlesinger.
“In order to avoid even an appearance of conflict, the Attorney General has personally recused herself from this matter,” a spokeswoman said in a statement.
A fixture in the Orthodox Jewish community, Schlesinger was photographed smiling broadly alongside James at a 2015 Democratic Party fund-raiser at Junior’s restaurant in downtown Brooklyn.
In January 2016, Schlesinger posted a Facebook photo of himself next to James and ParCare’s executive team, captioned, “catching up with the energetic NYC Public Advocate Letitia James to discuss healthcare needs of Brooklyn’s underserved communities.”
In 2017, Schlesinger posted a photo of himself and James “celebrating last night with my friend,” calling her the “future NYC mayor.”
In 2018, James ran for state attorney general instead of mayor.
Schlesinger was a key supporter of James’ AG campaign, and reportedly was involved in running a PAC to help her get elected.
“I endorse Tish James, who is devoted to fair justice for all and religious liberty which is why I join Jewish community leaders and advocates to endorse” her, Schlesinger posted on Facebook, one of several messages urging followers to vote for her.
The history of Schlesinger’s political alliance with James, and Cuomo plopping the ParCare probe into the AG’s lap, has raised eyebrows.
“No one’s taking it seriously as a threat,” said an Orthodox Jewish resident.
“It’s known she’s very good friends with the Hasidic community."
"She’s unlikely to do anything to jeopardize that relationship.”
AG officials said the Brooklyn born-and-bred James knows a wide range of political and community leaders in the borough, and that her relationship with Schlesinger will not compromise the probe.
“Our office will follow the facts and the law wherever they may lead,” a spokesperson said in the statement.
The offices of Cuomo and Zucker would not explain why the state failed to check ParCare’s credentials before shipping the vaccines.
https://nypost.com/2021/01/02/ag-letiti ... ine-probe/
Re: THE YOUNG ANDY CUOMO CHRONICLES
THE CAPE CHARLES MIRROR January 2, 2021 at 10:03 pm
Paul Plante says:
To understand why we do not trust this COVID vaccine distribution in the corrupt third-world ****-hole of New York state under the regime of Democratic Socialist strongman Andy Cuomo, a thug who rules by fear, we need to go back to the Albany, New York Times Union article entitled “State requires counties to sign agreement before receiving coronavirus vaccines – Governor’s vaccination chief urges patience as frustration over plan grows” by Brendan J. Lyons on Dec. 30, 2020 where we were informed that Larry Schwartz, a member of Democratic Socialist strongman Andy Cuomo’s New York state coronavirus task force who is leading the state’s vaccination efforts said any organization or municipality receiving the vaccines is being required to sign an agreement giving Andy Cuomo full control of the vaccination program, including the “right” to pull back vaccine supplies apportioned to a county to divert them “elsewhere,” as determined by Andy, this same Larry Schwartz was the star of a Newsweek article appropriately entitled “Lawrence Schwartz is Cuomo’s behind-the-scenes muscle” by Michael Gormley michael.gormley@newsday.com on August 9, 2014, where we had as follows:
ALBANY — He is the most powerful state official most New Yorkers have never heard of.
“He has the reputation of a sort of no-nonsense tough guy who has really implemented the will of governors Paterson and Cuomo,” said Blair Horner, legislative director of the New York Public Interest Research Group and an observer of Albany politics for more than two decades.
end quotes
Being a real tough guy himself, our Andy, a former Queens tow-truck driver who has been made into a literal dictator by the Democratic-controlled lickspittle NYS legislature with the power to suspend the constitution during the COVID crisis, likes to surround himself with other tough guys like Rich “The Ape” Azzopardi who was the star of a 28 March 2019 New York Times story entitled “In Profane Rant, Cuomo Aide Calls 3 Female Lawmakers ‘Idiots’,” and a Splinter News article entitled “Cuomo Aides Not Big Fans of Young Female Legislators” by Samantha Grasso on 3/28/19, wherein was stated as follows, to wit:
If you thought New York Gov. Andrew was a piece of work, just look at his staff.
A senior adviser to the governor called three young female state lawmakers “f**king idiots” on Wednesday, the New York Times reported.
The insult was in response to a press conference the women held criticizing Cuomo for reportedly hosting a $25,000-ticket fundraiser earlier this month during the state’s budget season, which wasn’t mentioned on Cuomo’s public schedule.
end quotes
That is how the Andy Cuomo administration deals with women – it lets “The Ape” loose on them.
Getting back to the Cuomo COVID vaccine cluster****, we have:
Now Schwartz is at the center of the Moreland Commission controversy being investigated by Preet Bharara, U.S. attorney for the Southern District.
Schwartz was accused in a July 23 New York Times article of interfering with the commission Cuomo created a year ago.
“This is wrong,” Schwartz is said to have told a commission co-chairman last year when the panel planned to subpoena a TV ad company used by Cuomo’s campaign.
“Pull it back,” Schwartz said, according to an email from co-chairman William Fitzpatrick cited in the Times.
The subpoena ultimately was served.
Schwartz also was cited in the Times article as having interfered with the commission when it planned to issue a subpoena to one of Cuomo’s biggest campaign donors, the Real Estate Board of New York, and other allies.
“Even I was surprised at the level to which there might have been interference,” said Barbara Bartoletti of the League of Women Voters, who was a nonvoting adviser to the commission.
Cuomo, however, discounts claims of interference.
Cuomo and Schwartz aren’t commenting publicly on the Moreland case, citing the federal probe that has caused most of state government and even former Cuomo and Paterson staffers to clam up.
When Cuomo relied on Schwartz to work with the Moreland Commission, the governor picked a proven staffer with a strong background in government and politics.
Schwartz was senior class president and a soccer goalie at Comsewogue High School in Port Jefferson Station and graduated from the State University of New York at Binghamton, majoring in political science.
After college, Schwartz worked on local political campaigns.
Schwartz began the road to the executive chamber in 1994.
Like many current Cuomo confidants, he was an aide that year in the unsuccessful re-election campaign of Gov. Mario Cuomo, whose top adviser was another hard-charging 20-something named Andrew M. Cuomo.
That led Schwartz to a stint with the State Senate’s Democratic minority.
In 2009, Schwartz became secretary to the governor for Paterson, a formal title that translates to the governor’s top aide and chief of staff involved in every initiative.
Schwartz, who makes $178,000 a year, once described his role as “chief operating officer,” a title that doesn’t exist in state government and which many thought overstated his role.
In 2010, Schwartz was involved in one of the scandals of the Paterson administration.
Inspector General Joseph Fish released a highly critical report about the awarding of a contract to create a video slot machine casino at the Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens.
The state had sought to generate as much as $650 million a year in tax revenue by creating the casino, but what the inspector general later called a “political free-for-all” ensued, involving several lobbying groups and accusations that their campaign contributions swayed the selection process.
“Secretary to the Governor Lawrence Schwartz, the self-proclaimed ‘chief operating officer’ of the state . . . testified that he was ‘outside’ the selection process, yet he organized and attended many key meetings with executive staff and various vendors,” Fish’s report stated.
“Schwartz further engaged in communications with the governor regarding the selection despite his ignorance of the salient facts,” the report said.
“Schwartz further incredibly claimed to not recall myriad meetings he organized and attended, various e-mail correspondence between himself and other individuals, and numerous conversations in which he engaged.”
Schwartz survived unscathed as some lawmakers — but no administration officials — faced investigations.
And now we have that same dude in charge of distributing COVID vaccine in New York state which is why we have no faith whatsoever in the program, especially in a corrupt state like New York.
http://www.capecharlesmirror.com/news/a ... ent-312953
Paul Plante says:
To understand why we do not trust this COVID vaccine distribution in the corrupt third-world ****-hole of New York state under the regime of Democratic Socialist strongman Andy Cuomo, a thug who rules by fear, we need to go back to the Albany, New York Times Union article entitled “State requires counties to sign agreement before receiving coronavirus vaccines – Governor’s vaccination chief urges patience as frustration over plan grows” by Brendan J. Lyons on Dec. 30, 2020 where we were informed that Larry Schwartz, a member of Democratic Socialist strongman Andy Cuomo’s New York state coronavirus task force who is leading the state’s vaccination efforts said any organization or municipality receiving the vaccines is being required to sign an agreement giving Andy Cuomo full control of the vaccination program, including the “right” to pull back vaccine supplies apportioned to a county to divert them “elsewhere,” as determined by Andy, this same Larry Schwartz was the star of a Newsweek article appropriately entitled “Lawrence Schwartz is Cuomo’s behind-the-scenes muscle” by Michael Gormley michael.gormley@newsday.com on August 9, 2014, where we had as follows:
ALBANY — He is the most powerful state official most New Yorkers have never heard of.
“He has the reputation of a sort of no-nonsense tough guy who has really implemented the will of governors Paterson and Cuomo,” said Blair Horner, legislative director of the New York Public Interest Research Group and an observer of Albany politics for more than two decades.
end quotes
Being a real tough guy himself, our Andy, a former Queens tow-truck driver who has been made into a literal dictator by the Democratic-controlled lickspittle NYS legislature with the power to suspend the constitution during the COVID crisis, likes to surround himself with other tough guys like Rich “The Ape” Azzopardi who was the star of a 28 March 2019 New York Times story entitled “In Profane Rant, Cuomo Aide Calls 3 Female Lawmakers ‘Idiots’,” and a Splinter News article entitled “Cuomo Aides Not Big Fans of Young Female Legislators” by Samantha Grasso on 3/28/19, wherein was stated as follows, to wit:
If you thought New York Gov. Andrew was a piece of work, just look at his staff.
A senior adviser to the governor called three young female state lawmakers “f**king idiots” on Wednesday, the New York Times reported.
The insult was in response to a press conference the women held criticizing Cuomo for reportedly hosting a $25,000-ticket fundraiser earlier this month during the state’s budget season, which wasn’t mentioned on Cuomo’s public schedule.
end quotes
That is how the Andy Cuomo administration deals with women – it lets “The Ape” loose on them.
Getting back to the Cuomo COVID vaccine cluster****, we have:
Now Schwartz is at the center of the Moreland Commission controversy being investigated by Preet Bharara, U.S. attorney for the Southern District.
Schwartz was accused in a July 23 New York Times article of interfering with the commission Cuomo created a year ago.
“This is wrong,” Schwartz is said to have told a commission co-chairman last year when the panel planned to subpoena a TV ad company used by Cuomo’s campaign.
“Pull it back,” Schwartz said, according to an email from co-chairman William Fitzpatrick cited in the Times.
The subpoena ultimately was served.
Schwartz also was cited in the Times article as having interfered with the commission when it planned to issue a subpoena to one of Cuomo’s biggest campaign donors, the Real Estate Board of New York, and other allies.
“Even I was surprised at the level to which there might have been interference,” said Barbara Bartoletti of the League of Women Voters, who was a nonvoting adviser to the commission.
Cuomo, however, discounts claims of interference.
Cuomo and Schwartz aren’t commenting publicly on the Moreland case, citing the federal probe that has caused most of state government and even former Cuomo and Paterson staffers to clam up.
When Cuomo relied on Schwartz to work with the Moreland Commission, the governor picked a proven staffer with a strong background in government and politics.
Schwartz was senior class president and a soccer goalie at Comsewogue High School in Port Jefferson Station and graduated from the State University of New York at Binghamton, majoring in political science.
After college, Schwartz worked on local political campaigns.
Schwartz began the road to the executive chamber in 1994.
Like many current Cuomo confidants, he was an aide that year in the unsuccessful re-election campaign of Gov. Mario Cuomo, whose top adviser was another hard-charging 20-something named Andrew M. Cuomo.
That led Schwartz to a stint with the State Senate’s Democratic minority.
In 2009, Schwartz became secretary to the governor for Paterson, a formal title that translates to the governor’s top aide and chief of staff involved in every initiative.
Schwartz, who makes $178,000 a year, once described his role as “chief operating officer,” a title that doesn’t exist in state government and which many thought overstated his role.
In 2010, Schwartz was involved in one of the scandals of the Paterson administration.
Inspector General Joseph Fish released a highly critical report about the awarding of a contract to create a video slot machine casino at the Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens.
The state had sought to generate as much as $650 million a year in tax revenue by creating the casino, but what the inspector general later called a “political free-for-all” ensued, involving several lobbying groups and accusations that their campaign contributions swayed the selection process.
“Secretary to the Governor Lawrence Schwartz, the self-proclaimed ‘chief operating officer’ of the state . . . testified that he was ‘outside’ the selection process, yet he organized and attended many key meetings with executive staff and various vendors,” Fish’s report stated.
“Schwartz further engaged in communications with the governor regarding the selection despite his ignorance of the salient facts,” the report said.
“Schwartz further incredibly claimed to not recall myriad meetings he organized and attended, various e-mail correspondence between himself and other individuals, and numerous conversations in which he engaged.”
Schwartz survived unscathed as some lawmakers — but no administration officials — faced investigations.
And now we have that same dude in charge of distributing COVID vaccine in New York state which is why we have no faith whatsoever in the program, especially in a corrupt state like New York.
http://www.capecharlesmirror.com/news/a ... ent-312953
Re: THE YOUNG ANDY CUOMO CHRONICLES
THE CAPE CHARLES MIRROR January 3, 2021 at 10:43 pm
Paul Plante says:
And continuing on with our concerns about COVID vaccine distribution in the corrupt ****hole of New York and segueing off New York State Inspector General Joseph Fish having released a highly critical report about the awarding of a contract to create a video slot machine casino at the Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens which the inspector general later called a “political free-for-all” involving several lobbying groups and accusations that their campaign contributions swayed the selection process, and wherein he stated “Secretary to the Governor Lawrence Schwartz, the self-proclaimed ‘chief operating officer’ of the state . . . testified that he was ‘outside’ the selection process, yet he organized and attended many key meetings with executive staff and various vendors,” and “Schwartz further incredibly claimed to not recall myriad meetings he organized and attended, various e-mail correspondence between himself and other individuals, and numerous conversations in which he engaged,” which is typical of New York state political hacks when they are being questioned about alleged wrongdoing they are involved in, with “I don’t know nothing” being their common refrain, that takes us to an Albany, New York Times Union article entitled “State Police investigating COVID-19 vaccine distribution outside of protocols – Provider based in NYC, Orange County touted giving Moderna vaccine to public” on Dec. 27, 2020, where we were informed as follows:
NEW YORK (AP) — Police and health officials were probing Saturday whether an Orange County health care provider violated state guidelines in the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines.
State Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker said in a statement that his office and State Police were investigating ParCare Community Health Network in Orange County.
Zucker said he had received reports that ParCare may have fraudulently obtained the vaccine and diverted it to other facilities to be given to members of the public.
end quotes
Now, here it has to be said that the “boss” of this ParCare that allegedly received the COVID vaccine “fraudulently” is connected to the Democrat party, which takes us back to the story as follows:
“We take this very seriously and DOH will be assisting State Police in a criminal investigation into this matter,” Zucker said.
“Anyone found to have knowingly participated in this scheme will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
end quotes
The question, of course, that hasn’t yet been answered, and given the political connections here, won’t be answered, is how this alleged “fraud” could possibly have happened with Cuomo “tough guy” Larry Schwartz in charge of who it got distributed to.
Getting back to that story, it continues as follows:
In an emailed statement, the company said it would cooperate with the investigation and that it “has a long history of partnering with the city of New York to provide vital healthcare services to New Yorkers who need them most — including providing COVID-19 testing — especially for New Yorkers in medically underserved communities who’ve been hardest hit by COVID-19.”
On Dec. 21 ParCare tweeted pictures of “thousands” of doses it received, as well as a picture of a rabbi receiving the vaccine on Dec. 24.
Statements from ParCare the same day said they were providing Moderna vaccines to people who signed up online if they were older than age 60, or who had underlying medical conditions.
“Hundreds of patients were already vaccinated today, and people are still coming in,” Gary Schlesinger, the CEO and president of ParCare, said in a statement earlier in the week.
end quotes
And that in turn takes us to a New York Post article entitled “Gov. Cuomo says AG to probe vaccine ‘fraud,’ vows $1M fine for violations” by Bruce Golding on December 28, 2020, where the fraud saga continues, as follows:
The state attorney general’s office will investigate allegations that a Brooklyn-based health care provider fraudulently obtained and diverted coronavirus vaccines, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Monday — and warned that even recipients of an unsanctioned shot could face penalties.
end quotes
See what I am saying about Cuomo being a real tough guy?
Getting back to the story of the COVID vaccine fraud, we have:
Cuomo also said he planned to sign an executive order that would establish a $1 million fine for vaccine-related fraud and allow the revocation of state licenses from violators, including doctors and nurses who crookedly administer shots.
end quotes
Cuomo is quite literally a dictator these days while COVID rages, so he can make any kind of laws he wants to through executive orders and nobody can challenge him.
And that story continues as follows:
Even patients could be prosecuted, Cuomo said, “if you received the vaccine and you knew you shouldn’t have received the vaccine.”
“The vaccine is a valuable commodity,” Cuomo said during a virtual news conference in Albany.
“You have many people who want the vaccine and you will have fraud in the vaccine process.”
“It’s almost an inevitable function of human nature and the marketplace.”
end quotes
And in fact, this being the corrupt ****hole of New York, we expect a brisk Black Market in COVID vaccines, especially in New York City, where the Russian mob will likely be peddling rat urine as the real thing, as well as a bidding war, which again takes us back to that story, as follows:
“The state police believe there’s enough evidence to commence a criminal investigation and that’s why they referred it to the attorney general,” Cuomo said.
AG Letitia James “is going to take it on and make it a priority,” he said.
“We will not tolerate any fraud in the vaccination process,” Cuomo said.
“Anyone who engages in any fraud is going to be held accountable.”
end quotes
Except “Tish” has a conflict of interest, as we see in another New York Post article entitled “AG Letitia James recuses herself from ParCare COVID-19 vaccine fraud probe” by Susan Edelman on January 2, 2021, as follows:
State Attorney General Letitia James has recused herself from the ParCare vaccination probe “to avoid even an appearance of conflict,” her office told The Post.
James is chummy with the boss of the embattled network, which runs four Brooklyn clinics, one in upstate Kiryas Joel and another in Harlem.
Gov. Cuomo and state Health Commissioner Howard Zucker have accused ParCare of misidentifying itself as a “qualified health center” to obtain the vaccine from the state Health Department.
end quotes
And it is immaterial as to how ParCare represented itself – what is material is how Larry Schwartz and Howie Zucker and the state health department allowed that representation to make it through the system unchallenged, which again takes us back to that story for more, as follows:.
The recusal was announced after questions were raised whether James — a former City Councilwoman in central Brooklyn and NYC Public Advocate — is too friendly with PareCare CEO Gary Schlesinger.
“In order to avoid even an appearance of conflict, the Attorney General has personally recused herself from this matter,” a spokeswoman said in a statement.
A fixture in the Orthodox Jewish community, Schlesinger was photographed smiling broadly alongside James at a 2015 Democratic Party fund-raiser at Junior’s restaurant in downtown Brooklyn.
In January 2016, Schlesinger posted a Facebook photo of himself next to James and ParCare’s executive team, captioned, “catching up with the energetic NYC Public Advocate Letitia James to discuss healthcare needs of Brooklyn’s underserved communities.”
In 2017, Schlesinger posted a photo of himself and James “celebrating last night with my friend,” calling her the “future NYC mayor.”
In 2018, James ran for state attorney general instead of mayor.
Schlesinger was a key supporter of James’ AG campaign, and reportedly was involved in running a PAC to help her get elected.
“I endorse Tish James, who is devoted to fair justice for all and religious liberty which is why I join Jewish community leaders and advocates to endorse” her, Schlesinger posted on Facebook, one of several messages urging followers to vote for her.
The history of Schlesinger’s political alliance with James, and Cuomo plopping the ParCare probe into the AG’s lap, has raised eyebrows.
end quotes
Indeed it has, and indeed it should, which takes us back to that story for the punch line, to wit:
The offices of Cuomo and Zucker would not explain why the state failed to check ParCare’s credentials before shipping the vaccines.
http://www.capecharlesmirror.com/news/a ... ent-313534
Paul Plante says:
And continuing on with our concerns about COVID vaccine distribution in the corrupt ****hole of New York and segueing off New York State Inspector General Joseph Fish having released a highly critical report about the awarding of a contract to create a video slot machine casino at the Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens which the inspector general later called a “political free-for-all” involving several lobbying groups and accusations that their campaign contributions swayed the selection process, and wherein he stated “Secretary to the Governor Lawrence Schwartz, the self-proclaimed ‘chief operating officer’ of the state . . . testified that he was ‘outside’ the selection process, yet he organized and attended many key meetings with executive staff and various vendors,” and “Schwartz further incredibly claimed to not recall myriad meetings he organized and attended, various e-mail correspondence between himself and other individuals, and numerous conversations in which he engaged,” which is typical of New York state political hacks when they are being questioned about alleged wrongdoing they are involved in, with “I don’t know nothing” being their common refrain, that takes us to an Albany, New York Times Union article entitled “State Police investigating COVID-19 vaccine distribution outside of protocols – Provider based in NYC, Orange County touted giving Moderna vaccine to public” on Dec. 27, 2020, where we were informed as follows:
NEW YORK (AP) — Police and health officials were probing Saturday whether an Orange County health care provider violated state guidelines in the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines.
State Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker said in a statement that his office and State Police were investigating ParCare Community Health Network in Orange County.
Zucker said he had received reports that ParCare may have fraudulently obtained the vaccine and diverted it to other facilities to be given to members of the public.
end quotes
Now, here it has to be said that the “boss” of this ParCare that allegedly received the COVID vaccine “fraudulently” is connected to the Democrat party, which takes us back to the story as follows:
“We take this very seriously and DOH will be assisting State Police in a criminal investigation into this matter,” Zucker said.
“Anyone found to have knowingly participated in this scheme will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
end quotes
The question, of course, that hasn’t yet been answered, and given the political connections here, won’t be answered, is how this alleged “fraud” could possibly have happened with Cuomo “tough guy” Larry Schwartz in charge of who it got distributed to.
Getting back to that story, it continues as follows:
In an emailed statement, the company said it would cooperate with the investigation and that it “has a long history of partnering with the city of New York to provide vital healthcare services to New Yorkers who need them most — including providing COVID-19 testing — especially for New Yorkers in medically underserved communities who’ve been hardest hit by COVID-19.”
On Dec. 21 ParCare tweeted pictures of “thousands” of doses it received, as well as a picture of a rabbi receiving the vaccine on Dec. 24.
Statements from ParCare the same day said they were providing Moderna vaccines to people who signed up online if they were older than age 60, or who had underlying medical conditions.
“Hundreds of patients were already vaccinated today, and people are still coming in,” Gary Schlesinger, the CEO and president of ParCare, said in a statement earlier in the week.
end quotes
And that in turn takes us to a New York Post article entitled “Gov. Cuomo says AG to probe vaccine ‘fraud,’ vows $1M fine for violations” by Bruce Golding on December 28, 2020, where the fraud saga continues, as follows:
The state attorney general’s office will investigate allegations that a Brooklyn-based health care provider fraudulently obtained and diverted coronavirus vaccines, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Monday — and warned that even recipients of an unsanctioned shot could face penalties.
end quotes
See what I am saying about Cuomo being a real tough guy?
Getting back to the story of the COVID vaccine fraud, we have:
Cuomo also said he planned to sign an executive order that would establish a $1 million fine for vaccine-related fraud and allow the revocation of state licenses from violators, including doctors and nurses who crookedly administer shots.
end quotes
Cuomo is quite literally a dictator these days while COVID rages, so he can make any kind of laws he wants to through executive orders and nobody can challenge him.
And that story continues as follows:
Even patients could be prosecuted, Cuomo said, “if you received the vaccine and you knew you shouldn’t have received the vaccine.”
“The vaccine is a valuable commodity,” Cuomo said during a virtual news conference in Albany.
“You have many people who want the vaccine and you will have fraud in the vaccine process.”
“It’s almost an inevitable function of human nature and the marketplace.”
end quotes
And in fact, this being the corrupt ****hole of New York, we expect a brisk Black Market in COVID vaccines, especially in New York City, where the Russian mob will likely be peddling rat urine as the real thing, as well as a bidding war, which again takes us back to that story, as follows:
“The state police believe there’s enough evidence to commence a criminal investigation and that’s why they referred it to the attorney general,” Cuomo said.
AG Letitia James “is going to take it on and make it a priority,” he said.
“We will not tolerate any fraud in the vaccination process,” Cuomo said.
“Anyone who engages in any fraud is going to be held accountable.”
end quotes
Except “Tish” has a conflict of interest, as we see in another New York Post article entitled “AG Letitia James recuses herself from ParCare COVID-19 vaccine fraud probe” by Susan Edelman on January 2, 2021, as follows:
State Attorney General Letitia James has recused herself from the ParCare vaccination probe “to avoid even an appearance of conflict,” her office told The Post.
James is chummy with the boss of the embattled network, which runs four Brooklyn clinics, one in upstate Kiryas Joel and another in Harlem.
Gov. Cuomo and state Health Commissioner Howard Zucker have accused ParCare of misidentifying itself as a “qualified health center” to obtain the vaccine from the state Health Department.
end quotes
And it is immaterial as to how ParCare represented itself – what is material is how Larry Schwartz and Howie Zucker and the state health department allowed that representation to make it through the system unchallenged, which again takes us back to that story for more, as follows:.
The recusal was announced after questions were raised whether James — a former City Councilwoman in central Brooklyn and NYC Public Advocate — is too friendly with PareCare CEO Gary Schlesinger.
“In order to avoid even an appearance of conflict, the Attorney General has personally recused herself from this matter,” a spokeswoman said in a statement.
A fixture in the Orthodox Jewish community, Schlesinger was photographed smiling broadly alongside James at a 2015 Democratic Party fund-raiser at Junior’s restaurant in downtown Brooklyn.
In January 2016, Schlesinger posted a Facebook photo of himself next to James and ParCare’s executive team, captioned, “catching up with the energetic NYC Public Advocate Letitia James to discuss healthcare needs of Brooklyn’s underserved communities.”
In 2017, Schlesinger posted a photo of himself and James “celebrating last night with my friend,” calling her the “future NYC mayor.”
In 2018, James ran for state attorney general instead of mayor.
Schlesinger was a key supporter of James’ AG campaign, and reportedly was involved in running a PAC to help her get elected.
“I endorse Tish James, who is devoted to fair justice for all and religious liberty which is why I join Jewish community leaders and advocates to endorse” her, Schlesinger posted on Facebook, one of several messages urging followers to vote for her.
The history of Schlesinger’s political alliance with James, and Cuomo plopping the ParCare probe into the AG’s lap, has raised eyebrows.
end quotes
Indeed it has, and indeed it should, which takes us back to that story for the punch line, to wit:
The offices of Cuomo and Zucker would not explain why the state failed to check ParCare’s credentials before shipping the vaccines.
http://www.capecharlesmirror.com/news/a ... ent-313534
Re: THE YOUNG ANDY CUOMO CHRONICLES
"Churchill: 'Drug addicts' need vaccines, too - U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik calls Gov. Andrew Cuomo an 'absolute disgrace' for placing rehab residents high on the vaccine priority list."
Chris Churchill, Albany, New York Times Union
Jan. 2, 2021
Updated: Jan. 2, 2021 8:49 p.m.
ALBANY — A few days ago, U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik took Andrew Cuomo to task for allowing "drug addicts" to get relatively early doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.
"The Worst Governor in America streak continues,” Stefanik wrote on Twitter.
“This time prioritizing vaccines for drug addicts over tens of thousands of seniors who have been home bound since the start of the pandemic."
"An absolute disgrace."
Let me start by crediting Stefanik, who lives in Saratoga County, for being one of the members of Congress to refuse an early dose of the vaccine.
It was distasteful that young, healthy politicians such as New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the downstate Democrat, jumped to the head of the line when so many who need the vaccine are waiting.
"She will take the vaccine only after the most vulnerable groups have been served," Stefanik spokesperson Alex DeGrasse told me.
"She is a healthy 36 year old."
Good.
But that tweet about drug addicts and the vaccine?
Not so good.
I'd suggest it was misleading, since it isn't as though being addicted alone will get a person vaccinated.
Cuomo has said only that residents of state Office of Addiction Services and Supports facilities would be high on the vaccine priority list, after medical workers, residents of nursing homes and other high-risk populations.
Those OASAS residents are, in the scheme of things, a relatively small number of people.
“These are congregate facilities."
"Congregate facilities are problematic,” the governor said Monday, adding that “nursing homes are obviously the most problematic because they're congregate plus older, vulnerable people.”
Certainly, there are valid reasons to disagree with New York’s vaccine distribution priorities, with some critics making strong arguments that distribution should be based on age alone once medical workers have been vaccinated.
Older people, after all, are most at risk from the virus.
But people living in congregate facilities are at a particular disadvantage.
It's harder for them to isolate.
They have staff members and other coming and going from their homes.
Such places are fertile ground for the virus to spread.
What really bothers me about Stefanik’s tweet, though, is its seemingly implicit suggestion that this very important public health decision should be based on assumptions about the moral value of the person receiving the vaccine.
The North Country congresswoman seems to be suggesting that drug addicts don't deserve the vaccine early.
Why?
Because they are, what, somehow less virtuous?
I wish that I could ask Father Peter Young for his thoughts about that.
Young, a prominent Capital Region priest who died last month, spent his life arguing that addiction is a disease rather than a moral failing.
He believed the light of God is within every person, no matter the troubles of their life.
In an ideal world, of course, the vaccine would be readily available to all who want it and governments wouldn't need to prioritize who gets it first.
What we have instead, obviously, is a supply-and-demand problem that is forcing governments to make difficult decisions.
Clearly, those decisions should be driven entirely by saving lives and preventing the virus' spread.
Assumptions about the virtue of the recipients shouldn't be part of the discussion, and politicians shouldn't use heightened emotions surrounding the vaccine to pander to one group at the expense of another.
I asked Stefanik’s office if she'd be willing to put some meat on the bones of her tweet and explain why, precisely, she objects to residents of OASAS rehab centers receiving the vaccine relatively early.
In response, DeGrasse said Stefanik’s position is based on guidance from the federal Centers for Disease Control.
"Governor Cuomo is once again the only governor in the country blatantly ignoring CDC guidance regarding vaccination distribution,” DeGrasse said in a written response, noting that the CDC recommends “that vaccine distribution should prioritize healthcare workers, long-term care facility residents, frontline essential workers” and others.
But those living in OASAS rehab centers are residents of longer-term care facilities, and New York’s vaccine priority list is generally in agreement with CDC vaccine recommendations, which note the very real COVID-19 dangers of group-living situations.
In this case, it just isn't true that Cuomo is ignoring CDC guidance.
That isn't to say that New York’s vaccine roll out is going as smoothly or as quickly as it should.
There has been confusion over who will distribute the vaccine, with the state recently pushing aside counties who had been preparing for years on how to handle widespread vaccine distribution.
There are indications that the early phase of distribution is far too sluggish.
But none of that has anything to do with people fighting to overcome addiction.
cchurchill@timesunion.com ■ 518-454-5442 ■ @chris_churchill
https://www.timesunion.com/news/article ... 841682.php
Chris Churchill, Albany, New York Times Union
Jan. 2, 2021
Updated: Jan. 2, 2021 8:49 p.m.
ALBANY — A few days ago, U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik took Andrew Cuomo to task for allowing "drug addicts" to get relatively early doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.
"The Worst Governor in America streak continues,” Stefanik wrote on Twitter.
“This time prioritizing vaccines for drug addicts over tens of thousands of seniors who have been home bound since the start of the pandemic."
"An absolute disgrace."
Let me start by crediting Stefanik, who lives in Saratoga County, for being one of the members of Congress to refuse an early dose of the vaccine.
It was distasteful that young, healthy politicians such as New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the downstate Democrat, jumped to the head of the line when so many who need the vaccine are waiting.
"She will take the vaccine only after the most vulnerable groups have been served," Stefanik spokesperson Alex DeGrasse told me.
"She is a healthy 36 year old."
Good.
But that tweet about drug addicts and the vaccine?
Not so good.
I'd suggest it was misleading, since it isn't as though being addicted alone will get a person vaccinated.
Cuomo has said only that residents of state Office of Addiction Services and Supports facilities would be high on the vaccine priority list, after medical workers, residents of nursing homes and other high-risk populations.
Those OASAS residents are, in the scheme of things, a relatively small number of people.
“These are congregate facilities."
"Congregate facilities are problematic,” the governor said Monday, adding that “nursing homes are obviously the most problematic because they're congregate plus older, vulnerable people.”
Certainly, there are valid reasons to disagree with New York’s vaccine distribution priorities, with some critics making strong arguments that distribution should be based on age alone once medical workers have been vaccinated.
Older people, after all, are most at risk from the virus.
But people living in congregate facilities are at a particular disadvantage.
It's harder for them to isolate.
They have staff members and other coming and going from their homes.
Such places are fertile ground for the virus to spread.
What really bothers me about Stefanik’s tweet, though, is its seemingly implicit suggestion that this very important public health decision should be based on assumptions about the moral value of the person receiving the vaccine.
The North Country congresswoman seems to be suggesting that drug addicts don't deserve the vaccine early.
Why?
Because they are, what, somehow less virtuous?
I wish that I could ask Father Peter Young for his thoughts about that.
Young, a prominent Capital Region priest who died last month, spent his life arguing that addiction is a disease rather than a moral failing.
He believed the light of God is within every person, no matter the troubles of their life.
In an ideal world, of course, the vaccine would be readily available to all who want it and governments wouldn't need to prioritize who gets it first.
What we have instead, obviously, is a supply-and-demand problem that is forcing governments to make difficult decisions.
Clearly, those decisions should be driven entirely by saving lives and preventing the virus' spread.
Assumptions about the virtue of the recipients shouldn't be part of the discussion, and politicians shouldn't use heightened emotions surrounding the vaccine to pander to one group at the expense of another.
I asked Stefanik’s office if she'd be willing to put some meat on the bones of her tweet and explain why, precisely, she objects to residents of OASAS rehab centers receiving the vaccine relatively early.
In response, DeGrasse said Stefanik’s position is based on guidance from the federal Centers for Disease Control.
"Governor Cuomo is once again the only governor in the country blatantly ignoring CDC guidance regarding vaccination distribution,” DeGrasse said in a written response, noting that the CDC recommends “that vaccine distribution should prioritize healthcare workers, long-term care facility residents, frontline essential workers” and others.
But those living in OASAS rehab centers are residents of longer-term care facilities, and New York’s vaccine priority list is generally in agreement with CDC vaccine recommendations, which note the very real COVID-19 dangers of group-living situations.
In this case, it just isn't true that Cuomo is ignoring CDC guidance.
That isn't to say that New York’s vaccine roll out is going as smoothly or as quickly as it should.
There has been confusion over who will distribute the vaccine, with the state recently pushing aside counties who had been preparing for years on how to handle widespread vaccine distribution.
There are indications that the early phase of distribution is far too sluggish.
But none of that has anything to do with people fighting to overcome addiction.
cchurchill@timesunion.com ■ 518-454-5442 ■ @chris_churchill
https://www.timesunion.com/news/article ... 841682.php