NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — There were new developments overnight in the scandal surrounding nursing home deaths during the pandemic. Published reports by The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal allege top aides to Gov. Andrew Cuomo intervened to rewrite a July 2020 draft report by the Department of Health on nursing home deaths to conceal the actual number of people who passed away. It was a problem because of a March 25 Department of Health order that said nursing homes should accept a return of patients who had COVID-19 and had been treated in hospitals, CBS2’s Marcia Kramer reported. According to the papers, the draft report said that nearly 10,000 nursing home residents died from the coronavirus . But after the alleged “rewrite,” which excluded patients transferred to hospitals who later died, the public was told the number of people who died was 6,432. Beth Garvey, special counsel to the governor, issued a statement saying: The out of facility data was omitted after DOH could not confirm it had been adequately verified – this did not change the conclusion of the report, which was and is that the March 25 order was “not a driver of nursing home infections or fatalities.” Federal prosecutors are investigating the alleged cover-up of nursing home deaths. Cuomo is also facing new revelations in his sexual harassment scandal after one of his accusers spoke out on camera for the first time. Charlotte Bennett, 25, spoke from the heart in an exclusive interview with CBS Evening News anchor Norah O’Donnell . Bennett is one of three women pointing their fingers at the governor. Bennett charged that in May 2020, Cuomo asked her what she called inappropriate questions that made her think he wanted to have sexual relations with her. Bennett said the governor repeatedly asked her about being a rape survivor. “Why do you think he was fixated on you as a survivor of sexual assault?” O’Donnell asked. “I think it’s really strategic. I think abusers look for vulnerabilities, previous traumas, the idea that maybe I’m more willing to accept behavior because I have a history of sexual violence, perhaps I’m not as confident in myself because of my history,” Bennett said. Cuomo publicly apologized to Bennett and said he never touched anyone inappropriately.

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Reports: Top Cuomo Aides Allegedly Altered July Report To Conceal Number Of Nursing Home Deaths