After Governor Andrew Cuomo confirmed five upstate regions would enter the second phase of re-opening their economies critics, including Congressman Tom Reed, R-Big Flats, were still unwilling to let Thursday afternoon’s mixed messages on the subject go.
Friday evening, a spokesperson for Cuomo responded.
“It was very clear to me yesterday that all lights were green,” Rep. Reed told Spectrum News. “I don’t know why we had to take a second look by sending it overseas to have some international experts weigh in when the data is clear and the metrics are clear.”
Cuomo spokesman Richard Azzopardi sent this statement: "Reed should do his actual job: secure state and local government funding and repeal the SALT cap. Anything else is just another one of his failures."
Meanwhile, Reed also had a personal bone to pick with the Cuomo administration. On Thursday, Reed’s office held a virtual roundtable discussion on COVID in nursing homes. Members of the Cuomo administration were invited to participate, but none attended.
“I got my beef with the governor in regards to the way he conducts himself. We’ve extended numerous invites to him; had that nursing home roundtable yesterday. Invited his staff to be with us. And 40 minutes before he tells us ‘go pound salt.’ That’s not how you collaborate with people. That’s not how you listen to people,” Reed said.
“We need a workhorse in New York, we don’t need a show horse,” he continued. “I just hope he listens to more people. Don’t do as many press conferences. Just go in there and do the work.”
When asked to compare Governor Cuomo’s response to the pandemic with that of President Donald Trump's response, Reed, who is “not ruling out” running for governor against Cuomo in 2022, argued Trump’s style may leave something to be desired, but he gets results.
“I try to hold people accountable for what they do,” said Reed. “As regards to the decisions the president makes, he’s made some legitimate good decisions early on – terminating the flights in from China for example, bringing in Debbie Birx, Dr. Fauci, those guys very good.”
Governor Cuomo does not fare as well in the eyes of this possible future challenger.
“I think that Andrew Cuomo has done a good job in regards to being a show horse. I mean, he’s out there conducting power points and smoothly runs through the data. So I guess if you like the rhetoric and that’s your priority, then I guess you go with that.”
Moments before Spectrum News spoke with Congressman Reed, President Trump announced that the U.S. would terminate its relationship with the World Health Organization. Reed responded to the announcement.
“I am concerned with some of the activity that’s been taking place over at the W.H.O. leadership, that seems to be biased towards the Chinese viewpoint on things, as they put pressure on them to deal with this virus.”