A spokesperson for Democratic New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo mocked Fox News’ Janice Dean on Wednesday after she criticized the state’s botched rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Dean, an apolitical meteorologist known for her sunny disposition, became a fiery advocate for New York’s elderly after both of her husband’s parents died at long-term care facilities that were adhering to policies Cuomo approved, which proved deadly.
Cuomo required nursing homes and other long-term care facilities to take in COVID-19-positive patients, where the virus is far and away most deadly. He reversed the policy on May 10, after thousands of deaths.
“Last I checked, she’s not a credible source on anything except maybe the weather,” snarked Cuomo spokesperson Richard Azzopardi, speaking to the Daily Mail.
“Every state has had issues with vaccine distribution because of lack of federal funds but we’re rapidly ramping up distribution and currently have administered more than 60 percent of the vaccines we have,” Azzopardi defended Cuomo.
Dean on Tuesday called New York’s vaccination rollout a “disaster.”
“It is just another leadership failure from this governor,” she emphasized.
Dean responded directly to the mockery: “I can do weather and speak up for my family at the same time,” she wrote via Twitter.
I can do weather and speak up for my family at the same time. https://t.co/GcidfgPMFX
— Janice Dean (@JaniceDean) January 15, 2021
Other politicos ripped the Cuomo team for making light of Dean’s criticism.
Conservative Guy Benson posted, “Cuomo spokesman on criticisms from [Janice Dean] (who lost both of her in-laws to COVID in NY nursing homes): ‘She’s not a credible source on anything except maybe the weather.'”
“Wow, what an a**hole,” he added.
Dean responded to Benson, “Well this made me cry. Not because of the spokesperson because I’m so grateful for people like you, Guy.”
Well this made me cry. Not because of the spokesperson because I’m so grateful for people like you, Guy.
— Janice Dean (@JaniceDean) January 14, 2021
“I wonder if this guy actually thinks it helps Cuomo’s case to dump on someone who lost loved ones because of Cuomo’s reckless policy of sending infected people into nursing homes where they infected others. Malpractice on two levels: human and political,” Fox News’ Brit Hume posted online.
I wonder if this guy actually thinks it helps Cuomo’s case to dump on someone who lost loved ones because of Cuomo’s reckless policy of sending infected people into nursing homes where they infected others. Malpractice on two levels: human and political. https://t.co/S7th00aZE2
— Brit Hume (@brithume) January 15, 2021
Media columnist Joe Concha reacted, “No, really – when does Governor Cuomo apologize for this? It’s disrespectful and patently condescending.”
No, really – when does Governor Cuomo apologize for this? It's disrespectful and patently condescending: https://t.co/D220NmNg8l
— Joe Concha (@JoeConchaTV) January 15, 2021
“A governor’s spokesman saying that a woman is ‘not a credible source’ on the deaths of her own family members would be disgusting even if [Janice Dean] were *not* an accomplished, dynamic beacon of love & light, but she also is those things,” highlighted Kat Timpf.
“I love you,” Dean reacted.
I love you.
— Janice Dean (@JaniceDean) January 15, 2021
Dean once said she was wrongly “swayed” by Cuomo’s “leadership ‘theater,’” but started calling out the governor in May for his COVID-19 policies regarding nursing homes and other long-term care facilities.
“Can you imagine how much press the nursing home tragedy here in New York City would be getting if [Governor Cuomo] was a Republican?” Dean mused at the time. “It would be on every single channel and newspaper. (And yes, if he was a Republican I’d be just as furious).”
Related: Fox News Meteorologist Unloads On Cuomo Following Mother And Father-In-Law Deaths At Nursing Homes