Cuomo Accuses McConnell of Being ‘Extraordinarily Difficult’ Amid Relief Negotiations

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) is accusing Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) of contributing to the stalemate between lawmakers amid COVID-19 relief negotiations.

“Washington is considering passage of a bill which would help with state and local financing, unemployment insurance, transportation aid, vaccination funding, etc.,” Cuomo said during his press briefing Thursday.

He added, “They have been going back and forth. Speaker Pelosi put forth the HEROES bill months ago. They were then talking about a possible compromise bill. Senator McConnell has been extraordinarily difficult. His statement was, ‘Let the states go bankrupt.’ Fifty states go bankrupt, that’s bad for the country.”

Cuomo noted Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) has put forth a bipartisan relief package with a price tag of $908 billion.

“I agree that, as governor of New York, that we need help desperately and something is better than nothing and as a first down payment I urge them to get something done before they leave for Christmas,” Cuomo said.

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Cuomo argued the bipartisan bill is just a start and lawmakers would have to “come back and do a real bill next year.”

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) expressed their support for the bill, as IJR previously reported.

“While we made a new offer to Leader McConnell and Leader McCarthy on Monday, in the spirit of compromise we believe the bipartisan framework introduced by Senators yesterday should be used as the basis for immediate bipartisan, bicameral negotiations,” they wrote in a statement.

President Donald Trump indicated he would support a relief bill if one makes it through Congress, as IJR previously reported.

Trump said, according to the White House pool report, “I will, and I think we are getting very close. I want it to happen. And I believe we are getting very close to a deal.”