Cuomo stop in Buffalo turns to nursing home & unemployment questions

7 EYEWITNESS NEWS REPORTERSENIOR REPORTER... EILEENBUCKLEY.}} (:33) GOV.

CUOMO.

"IT'SNOT THAT ANYBODY WAS TRYING TOSECRET A NUMBER...BECUSAE ITWASN'T ABOUT THE NUMBER...ITWAS ABOUT THE ACCURACY OF THENUMBER." GOVERNOR CUOMO TAKINGOFF-TOPIC QUESTIONS AFTER HISCOVID ANNOUNCEMENT AT THEBELLE CENTER IN BUFFALO.

ONCEAGAIN, HE WAS ASKED ABOUT THEINVESTIGATION INTO THE NUMBEROF NURSING HOME DEATHS AT THEHEIGHT OF THE PANDEMIC LASTYEAR.

THE GOVERNOR NOW FINDSHIMSELF DEFLECTING THE LATESTNEW YORK TIMES REPORT ACCUSINGHIS ADMINISTRATION DELAYING UPTO FIVE MONTHS ON RELEASINGTHE TOTAL DEATH COUNT.

CUOMO."YOU'RE DANCING ON THE HEAD OFA PIN...WE ALWAYS PUT OUT THETOTALLY NUMBER OFDEATHS....WHEN YOU TODAYWITH RETORSPECT...YOU FINDSTATES HAVE ALL DIFFERENT WAYSOF COUNTING." THE GOVERNALSO ASKED ABOUT RECENTCOMPLAINTS OF DELAYS IN TRYINGTO RENEW UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITSAT THE STATE DEPARTMENT OFLABOR.

CUOMO SAYS HE BELIEVESTHE LATEST DELAYS ARE BASED ONTHE DEPARTMENT'S RESPONSE TOCATCHING FRAUDULENT CLAIMS.CUOMO.

"JUST BECAUSE YOU CALLUP AND SAY YOU AREUNEMPLOYED....HO W DO I KNOWIF YOU ARE UNEMPLOYED." CUOMOPUT A VERIFICATION SYSTEM INPLACE TO PREVENT FRAUD.

BUTNOW, A YEAR AFTER THE START OFTHE PANDEMIC, MANY ARE FORCEDTO REAPPLY FOR BENEFITS USINGTHE ID-ME VERIFICATIONSYSTEM....AND ARE WAITINGWEEKS FOR APPROVAL.

GREEN."ID-ME -- HUNDREDS OFTIMES...EMMAILS...Y OU CAN'TLEAVE A VOICE MAIL...THERE'SNEVER A LIVE HUMAN OR PERSONTHAT ANSWERS ANY TELEPHONENUMBERS FOR THE DEPT OF LABOROR ID-ME." MIRAND GREEN OFJAMESTOWN SAYS SHE HASREPEATEDLY TRIED TO VERIFY HERINFORMATION.

SHE SAYS SHE HASBEEN WITHOUT BENEFITS SINCEMARCH 31 AND IS FALLING BEHINDON HER BILLS.

GREEN.

"IT'SNERVE WRACKING ...IT KEEPS YOUUP AT NIGHT...IT MAKES YOUWONDER WHAT YOU ARE GOING TOPAY AND WHAT ONES ARE GOING TOBE A PRIORITY OVER OTHERS."GREEN SAYS SHE FINALLY WASCONTACTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OFLABOR AFTER 7 EYEWITNESSFORWARDED HER EMAIL FOR HELP.BUT EVEN AFTER OFFERING MOREVERIFICATION INFORMATION, SHESTILL HAS NOT BEEN VERIFIED.

IASKED THE GOVERNOR ABOUT IT.EILEEN.

"WHAT DO YOU SAY TOSOMEBODY THAT'S JUST LOSTTHEIR PUBLIC TRUST...WHEN THEYHAVE BILLS TO PAY AND THEY'REUNEMPLOYED?" ===BUTT=== CUOMO."SOMETIMES THERE'S FRAUD...ANDIT HAS TO BE VERIFIEID...WHILEI DON'T WANT TO WAIT FOR YOUTO VERIFY IT...I KNOW..BUT IFWE DON'T VERIFY IT ...THENTHERE'S GOING TO BEFRAUD...AND THEN SOMEONE'SGOING TO ASK ME AQUESTION...THERE WAS FRAUD ANDTHE UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCERATE WENT UP...THEY HAVE TO BEVERIFIED." CUOMO ALSORESPONDED TO QUESTIONSSURROUNDING THE STATE ATTORNEYGENERAL INVESTIGATION INTOSEVERAL ALLEGATIONS OF SEXUALHARASSMENT AGAINST HIM.

CUOMOSAYS SO FAR, THE PUBLIC HASONLY HEARD ONE SIDE.

CUOMO.

"ICAN'T TELL YOU HOW EAGER I AMTO TELL MY SIDE OF THE STORYAND THE TIME...WILLCOME..THANK YOU GUYS." INBUFFALO, EILEEN BUCKLEY, 7EWN.THE RACE IS BACK ON!

AFTERBEING POSTPONED LAST