© 2025 WSHU
NPR News & Classical Music
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

N.Y. Republicans Cry Foul On Vaccine Czar Cuomo Loyalty Calls

N.Y. Gov. Andrew Cuomo
Mike Groll
/
Office of N.Y. Gov. Andrew Cuomo
N.Y. Gov. Andrew Cuomo

Republican lawmakers from Long Island have called for a federal investigation into New York’s COVID-19 vaccine distribution after the head of the state rollout called county executives to see if they are still loyal to Governor Andrew Cuomo.

Cuomo is involved in two scandals about the way he handled coronavirus in nursing homes and sexual harassment allegations from former staffers.

Republican State Senator Phil Boyle said he has lost trust in the Cuomo administration.

“What if one of the Democratic county executives says ‘No, I think the governor should resign. I am on board with the vast majority of my colleagues and want the governor to resign,’” Boyle asked. “Does that mean Larry Schwartz is going to put a delay or nix vaccines going to that county? You just can’t have that."

"And the governor and Larry Schwartz may be playing dumb but they know what it looked like before it happened,” he continued.

The governor’s lawyer said Larry Schwartz, a long time Cuomo confidente, did not discuss the state’s vaccine distribution with county executives during his calls. They said accusations against Schwartz are “patently false.”

A native Long Islander, J.D. is WSHU's managing editor. He also hosts the climate podcast Higher Ground. J.D. reports for public radio stations across the Northeast, is a journalism educator and proud SPJ member.