Andrew Cuomo has issued an apology to New York City’s Jewish community for how he handled COVID-19 restrictions during his time as governor, in a rare reversal on one of his defining policy decisions as he campaigns for mayor.
In a video circulated online on Wednesday, Cuomo acknowledged that his pandemic-era decisions, though intended to protect lives, failed to fully account for religious sensitivities. “We could have done better, and for that I am truly sorry. My intentions don’t change the impact, and I sincerely ask for your understanding,” Cuomo said in the message, which coincided with Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement. He added that while his goal was to “protect health and save lives,” he did not “always fully consider the sensitivities and traditions that are so deeply important.”
The statement marks an unusual step for Cuomo, who has frequently pointed to his management of the pandemic as proof of his leadership credentials. His apology comes as he faces Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani in the mayoral race this November.
Jewish voters are considered pivotal to Cuomo’s campaign. Mamdani, who would become the city’s first Muslim mayor if elected, has drawn both support and criticism for his outspoken advocacy of Palestinian rights. His criticism of Israel’s conduct in Gaza has sparked controversy among pro-Israel groups, some of whom accuse him of antisemitism.
Cuomo has long cultivated ties with Orthodox Jewish communities, but those relationships frayed sharply during the pandemic. His closure of schools and restrictions on religious gatherings, part of his “cluster initiative” to control surging infections, hit Hasidic neighbourhoods particularly hard. The measures led to anger, protests and lawsuits. In some cases, demonstrators burned masks or forcibly reopened locked playgrounds, while several Orthodox leaders openly defied the rules.
At the time, Cuomo defended his policies, saying, “To the extent there are communities that are upset, that’s because they haven’t been following the original rules.” However, a Supreme Court decision later struck down the state’s capacity limits on houses of worship as unconstitutional.
Now attempting a political comeback after resigning as governor in 2021 amid sexual harassment allegations, which he denies, Cuomo has re-entered the political arena as an independent. Initially considered a frontrunner, he was defeated by Mamdani in the Democratic primary. Following Mayor Eric Adams’s withdrawal from the race, Cuomo has secured endorsements from several Jewish groups and leaders, bolstering his renewed campaign.
(With AP Input)
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