Citizens Against Government Waste Names Gov. Andrew Cuomo November 2020 Porker of the Month

Today, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) named New York Governor Andrew Cuomo (D) our November 2020 Porker of the Month for politicizing and delaying the distribution of a new COVID-19 vaccine that will save lives.

On November 9, 2020, instead of celebrating a new vaccine with a then-reported 90 percent success rate that turned out to 95 percent, Gov. Cuomo said, "We can't let this vaccine plan go forward the way Trump is planning it, we need to fix it or stop it before it does damage." Then on Sunday, November 15, he stood before churchgoers, many of whom have been impacted personally or in their businesses by the virus, and threatened to sue the Trump administration if they distribute a vaccine. Even after another vaccine was reported to have a success rate of 95 percent, Gov. Cuomo claimed that the speedy process is being driven by the "money and ego" of pharmaceutical companies and President Trump, respectively.

CAGW President Tom Schatz said, "Gov. Andrew Cuomo's willingness to play politics with lifesaving vaccines is appalling. Instead of accepting the results of the most rigorous review process in the world for the quality, safety, and efficacy of a vaccine, Gov. Cuomo wants to set up a separate analysis that will waste time and the taxpayers' money. After more than 574,000 New Yorkers have been infected and more than 33,500 have died from COVID-19, the second-highest percentage by population in the country, largely due to his policies that sent COVID-19 patients back to nursing homes, he should do something that New Yorkers often find hard to do: Stop talking and second-guessing, say thank you, and wait in line patiently until it is time to get the vaccine. Gov. Cuomo is an easy choice for Porker of the Month."

Citizens Against Government Waste is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in government. For more than two decades, Porker of the Month is a dubious honor given to lawmakers and government officials who have shown a blatant disregard for the interests of taxpayers.