Cuomo lays into 'self-proclaimed grim reaper' McConnell over states going bankrupt: 'This is one of the really dumb ideas of all time'
- New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo lit into Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky during his Thursday coronavirus press briefing.
- McConnell recently suggested states should go bankrupt instead of getting more federal stimulus money. He's also referred to the stimulus package as a "blue state bailout."
- "This is one of the really dumb ideas of all time," Cuomo shot back, calling the Kentuckian's comments "incredibly short sighted."
- "People died. 15,000 people died in New York, but they were predominately Democrats, so why should we help them? I mean for crying out loud," Cuomo said of McConnell's "blue state bailout" quip.
- "Let me go back to my self-proclaimed grim reaper, Senator McConnell," Cuomo continued, citing New York contributing $116 billion more in tax revenue to the federal government than it receives, while Kentucky is one of the largest net receivers at $148 billion.
- "Senator McConnell, who's getting bailed out here? It's your state that is living on the money that we generate. Your state is getting bailed out, not my state."
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New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo had little patience for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky during his Thursday coronavirus press briefing.
McConnell recently suggested that states should go bankrupt instead of getting more federal stimulus funding.
"This is one of the really dumb ideas of all time," Cuomo said — and he was just getting warmed up.
McConnell made the comments in a radio interview with conservative talk host Hugh Hewitt, where he went on to call the stimulus package a "blue state bailout." The senator was alluding to Democratic majority states with dense urban areas having the most coronavirus cases.
Cuomo took exception to that comment as well.
"How ugly a thought," Cuomo said. "Just think of what he's saying."
"People died. 15,000 people died in New York, but they were predominately Democrats, so why should we help them? I mean for crying out loud. If there was ever a time for you to put aside your pettiness and your partisanship ... that's not who we are."
Cuomo also pointed to some basic financial figures to underscore what he illustrated as McConnell's hypocrisy on federal spending.
"Let me go back to my self-proclaimed grim reaper, Senator McConnell," Cuomo said at the outset of the Q&A portion of the press conference.
Cuomo noted that New York is a net producer for federal revenue, contributing $116 billion more in taxes than it takes from Washington. Kentucky, on the other hand, is consistently one of the largest net receivers, getting $148 billion more than it produces.
"Senator McConnell, who's getting bailed out here?" Cuomo said. "It's your state that is living on the money that we generate. Your state is getting bailed out, not my state."
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