New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo canceled his Thanksgiving plans with his family after facing backlash for hypocritically inviting family members to travel to his home while urging the rest of the state not to host Thanksgiving dinners.
During a radio interview on Monday, Cuomo hinted that he may host his 89-year-old mother, Matilda, and two of his daughters over the holiday, even though he has spent the past two weeks lecturing New Yorkers about how important it is to stay away from family gatherings this holiday season.
“The story is, my mom is going to come up and two of my girls,” Cuomo said.
Just a few days before, Cuomo told New Yorkers: “My personal advice is you don’t have family gatherings—even for Thanksgiving,” and “This year, if you love someone, it is better and safer to stay away.”
Cuomo immediately faced backlash for defying his own restrictions.
“The governor lives in an alternate reality,” Republican Councilman Joe Borelli told the New York Post.
“Four family members, plus his police detail, cooks, caterers, cleaners, assistants and staff,” Borelli continued. “If these outsiders can come to the governor’s mansion for Thanksgiving, as they do on a daily basis, in and out, then it’s quite another thing to tell New Yorkers their Aunt Tilly cannot.”
Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., pointed out that this kind of hypocrisy is “one of the many reasons why Cuomo is the WORST Governor in America.”
Shortly after the news broke, Cuomo’s adviser, Rich Azzopardi, said the governor’s plans had changed.
“Given the current circumstances with COVID, he will have to work through Thanksgiving and will not be seeing them,” Azzopardi said, according to Syracuse.com. “Don’t tell his mom—she doesn’t know yet.”
Cuomo also announced that he encouraged his daughters not to travel for Thanksgiving, calling the decision a “hard” one.
My daughter isn’t coming to Thanksgiving. She is out of state and it’s safer not to travel.
It’s hard. But I can’t think of a better gesture of love than to say, I’m making the tough choice to keep you & our family safe.
We may be physically apart but we’re spiritually together
— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) November 23, 2020
