Cuomo slams McConnell for 'vicious' complaint about sending aid to states

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has made clear he opposed financial aid for states suffering from the COVID-19 pandemic, suggesting states “use the bankruptcy route” instead. In a press release, his office called any proposed help from the federal government “blue state bailouts.”

States have been lobbying for aid in the face of massive unemployment and financial turmoil as most businesses stay closed to stop the spread of coronavirus.

On Thursday, during his daily press briefing, New York’s Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo responded to McConnell’s statements.

ANDREW CUOMO: Vicious is saying — when Sen. McConnell said, “This is a blue state bailout,” what he’s saying is if you look at the states that have coronavirus problems, they tend to be Democratic states. New York, California, Michigan, Illinois. They are Democratic states. So if you fund states that are suffering from the coronavirus, they’re Democratic states. Don’t help New York state because it is a Democratic state. How ugly a thought! I mean, just think of — just think of what he’s saying.

 

People died. Fifteen thousand people died in New York. But they were predominantly Democrats, so why should we help them?

 

I mean, for crying out loud, if there was ever a time you’re going to put aside — for you to put aside your pettiness and your partisanship and this political lens that you see the world through — Democratic and Republican, and we help Republicans but we don’t help Democrats — that’s not who we are. That’s just not who we are as a people. I mean, if there’s ever a time for humanity and decency, now is the time. And if there was ever a time to stop your political — obsessive political bias and anger, which is what it’s morphed into — just a political anger — now is the time. And you want to politically divide this nation now? With all that’s going on? How irresponsible and how reckless.

 

I’m the governor of all New Yorkers. Democrat, Republican, independent — I don’t even care what your political party is. I represent you. And we’re all there to support each other. This is not the time or the place or the situation to start your divisive politics. It is just not.

Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.