Feb 23rd, 2021, By Jeffrey Rodack
Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., maintains attorney general nominee Merrick Garland’s answer to a question regarding a potential conflict of interest in any probe of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo was “not good enough.”
Her comments came Monday during an interview on“Fox News Primetime.”
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, had noted during Monday’s confirmation hearing that acting Manhattan U.S.Attorney Audrey Strauss is the mother-in-law of Cuomo’s aide Melissa DeRosa. Cuomo isunder fireafter DeRosa admitted his administration withheld data on nursing home deathsfrom media and lawmakersfearing a Trump administration Justice Department investigation.
“Will you at least commit to not having the investigation done by a person with a conflict of interest?” Cruz asked Garland.
And Garland responded: “With all of these investigations, the JusticeDepartment is open to evidenceof fraud, false statements,violations of the law.They normally begin in theappropriate way in the relevantU.S. Attorney’s office. I don’t know any of the facts,but I can guarantee you somebodywith a conflict of interestwon’t be running aninvestigation of any kind.”
But Stefanik told Fox News that Garland’s answershows “he’s not reading the basic news.”
“We need a much clearer response from the nominee to be AG [committing to]making sure there is an independent apolitical, fair investigation.,” she said.
And she said the families of those who lost loved ones in New York nursing homes “deserve a commitment for the AG nominee that this would be an independent investigation.”
You can read this article in full here: https://www.newsmax.com/
