IT: Cuomo's COVID-19 nursing home scandal, and... 🔍 Do you support a 9/11-style commission on the Capitol riot?

Welcome to Tuesday, February 16th, Tropics of Capricorn and Cancer...

New York's governor is facing criticism over misrepresenting COVID-19 nursing home data.

The top aide to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) apologized to state Democratic lawmakers in a private meeting for withholding data related to deaths from coronavirus in New York nursing homes from state and federal officials.

The issue is drawing the attention of federal lawmakers in Congress, where Republicans have proposed requiring that states report accurate data about nursing home deaths to receive their full allotment of relief funding.

Secretary to the Governor Melissa DeRosa said that after the federal Dept. of Justice requested nursing home death data amid criticism from then-President Trump, the Cuomo administration “froze” and withheld the data out of fear it would be “used against us” in an investigation.

Assemblyman Ron Kim (D-Bronx), whose uncle is presumed to have died from COVID-19 in a New York nursing home in April 2020, was on the call and told the New York Post that DeRosa’s remarks sounded “like they admitted that they were trying to dodge having any incriminating evidence that might put the administration or the [Health Department] in further trouble with" the DOJ.

Should states that misreport COVID deaths lose federal aid?

Pelosi Announces '9/11-Type' Commission on Capitol Riot 

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has announced plans for the creation of an outside and independent "9/11-type commission" to investigate "the facts and causes" related to the deadly attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.

"To protect our security, our security, our security, our next step will be to establish an outside, independent 9/11-type Commission to 'investigate and report on the facts and causes relating to the January 6, 2021, domestic terrorist attack upon the United States Capitol Complex,'" Pelosi wrote in a letter to House Democrats.

Earlier on Monday, House Republicans sent a letter to Pelosi suggesting she may be responsible for delays in deploying National Guard troops ahead of - and during - the insurrection. The letter does not mention Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), who was majority leader at the time of the riot and also had a say in Capitol security.

Do you support a '9/11-type' commission on the Capitol riot?

Best Fictional U.S. President

In honor of Presidents' Day, we ran a poll asking "Who's the best fictional U.S. president?"

The overwhelming winner with 38% of the vote: Josiah "Jed" Bartlet from "West Wing."

Next was a tie, with 10% saying Thomas J. Whitmore from "Independence Day" and David Palmer from "24."

Runners up:

James Marshall from "Air Force One" with 9%.

Frank Underwood from "House of Cards" with 6%.

There's still time to vote. Cast your ballot here.

And, in the End…

It's Pączki Day.

To Americans of Polish descent - and those growing up adjacent to them - Fat Tuesday means eating jelly-filled deep-fried dough. 

Yeah, it's also National Almond Day, but, come on, pączkis (PAWNCH-kee)...

—Josh Herman

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