Evidently still furious over Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-KY) disparaging comments about “blue state bailouts,” New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) doubled down on his criticism. Cuomo once again pointed out that Kentucky benefits from the tax revenue New York state gives the federal government.
“Just give me my money back, senator,” Cuomo said during his daily press conference. “Just give me my money back!”
The Democratic governor also thunderously dared McConnell to make good on his stated position that states ought to be allowed to go bankrupt.
“Okay senator, pass the bill that authorizes states to declare bankruptcy,” Cuomo said, voice still raised. “Sign the bill, Mr. President.”
“‘Economy’s coming back. We’re doing great. Pent-up demand, stock market wants to take off,'” he added, mocking Republicans’ rosy framing of the country’s economic crisis amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Good, pass a bill allowing states to be bankrupt,” Cuomo declared. “And then let’s watch how the stock market takes off at that great news about our economic resilience.”
The governor’s comments on Friday were the second time he had put McConnell on blast after the GOP leader smeared Democratic states as broke freeloaders that don’t deserve assistance (or “blue state bailouts”) from the federal government.
Cuomo’s first response to McConnell’s attacks was to point out on Thursday that New York is one of the biggest contributors to the federal piggy bank and takes less than what it gives, while Kentucky does the opposite.
“Senator McConnell, who’s getting bailed out here?” the governor asked. “It’s your state that is living on the money that we generate.”
When asked for McConnell’s response to Cuomo on Friday, the senator’s communications director David Popp directed TPM to conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt’s Washington Post op-ed, which defended McConnell by arguing that blue states have been “grievously mismanaged.”
Watch Cuomo below:
Cuomo dares McConnell to pass a bill to let states declare bankruptcy. pic.twitter.com/Fl0E8WQvCj
— TPM Livewire (@TPMLiveWire) April 24, 2020
