Cuomo warns of constitutional crisis ‘like you haven’t seen in decades’ if Trump tries to reopen New York
April 14, 2020 / By Rebecca Shabad
WASHINGTON — New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo warned Tuesday that President Donald Trump should not try to reopen the state against his wishes, saying it would create “a constitutional crisis like you haven’t seen in decades” and could result in a dramatic increase in coronavirus cases.
“The only ways this situation gets worse is if the president creates a constitutional crisis,” Cuomo said on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”
“If he says to me, ‘I declare it open,’ and that is a public health risk or it’s reckless with the welfare of the people of my state, I will oppose it,” he said. “And then we will have a constitutional crisis like you haven’t seen in decades, where states tell the federal government, ‘We’re not going to follow your order.’ It would be terrible for this country. It would be terrible for this president.”
During a lengthy White House coronavirus task force press briefing Monday, the president said, incorrectly, that ultimately he has the power to make decisions that apply to each state.
