New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo slams feds for ‘passing the buck’ on coronavirus | TribLIVE.com
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New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo slams feds for ‘passing the buck’ on coronavirus

New York Daily News
| Friday, April 17, 2020 1:15 p.m.
AP
A pedestrian wearing personal protective equipment due to covid-19 concerns walks past a sign thanking medical personal outside Elmhurst Hospital Center in the Queens borough of New York on Thursday.

NEW YORK — New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo slammed the federal government for “passing the buck” amid the coronavirus crisis — and President Donald Trump wasted no time in hitting him back for “complaining.”

Cuomo accused Congress and President Donald Trump of ignoring the financial needs of hard-hit state governments even as they pile more responsibilities for containing the pandemic on governors.

“That is passing the buck without passing the bucks,” he said. “Passing the buck is the opposite of ‘The buck stops here.’” He added: “(You’re) not giving the financial assistance to actually perform the responsibility.”

Cuomo reported that 630 New Yorkers died of coronavirus Friday, a toll that marked a slight increase from the previous day.

After hitting a recent low of 606, the death toll jumped again even as fewer patients continued to be placed on ventilators and needed intensive care in hospitals.

“That is still breathtaking in its pain and grief and tragedy,” he said. “And basically flat again like many of the other numbers.”

Asked about Trump’s three-stage plan for reopening America, the governor suggested that the state still faces a long and bumpy road to recovery.

He noted that 2,000 New Yorkers continue to be sickened on a daily basis.

“You’re not going to hear anytime soon: ‘The nightmare is over,’” Cuomo said. “It’s going to be incremental.”

Without even waiting for Cuomo to finish his daily briefing, the president unloaded on his sometimes rival for being ungrateful.

“Governor Cuomo should spend more time ‘doing’ and less time ‘complaining’. Get out there and get the job done. Stop talking! We built you thousands of hospital beds that you didn’t need or use, gave large numbers of Ventilators that you should have had, and helped you with testing that you should be doing. We have given New York far more money, help and equipment than any other state, by far, & these great men & women who did the job never hear you say thanks. Your numbers are not good. Less talk and more action!” Trump tweeted.


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