Top NYC Official Whose Mother Died of Coronavirus Condemns Trump: ‘He Has My Mom’s Blood on His Hands’

New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer spoke with Anderson Cooper on Monday about losing his mother Arlene Stringer-Cuevas as a result of complications due to the coronavirus.

Stringer said, “For this tragedy to happen is just so overwhelmingly sad for my family but it’s a story, Anderson, that I know is playing out across the country, it’s playing out in New York City, it’s so hurtful. She’s got a great story to tell and going to tell it for the rest of my life.”

As he talked about the many families dealing with the same grief, he accused President Donald Trump of having blood on his hands:

“In New York City, this is playing out in so many families and I’ve got to tell you, Donald Trump has blood on his hands and he has my mom’s blood on his hands and he sent us a hospital that’s right here in the Manhattan harbor and no one can get on that hospital. This is something that is just outrageous, and so it’s very tough to mourn under these circumstances.”

“You’re angry about that,” Cooper asked.

“I think we all are,” Stringer said. “The government is supposed to protect our people and we’re supposed to be able to protect our parents and grandparents the way they protected us and we’re not able to do that, and perhaps the thing I struggle with the most is how do you mourn at a time when you can’t connect with people? There can’t be a funeral. There can’t be a traditional shiva, there’s no way to reach out to my stepfather and see him personally because he’s quarantined. My little kids can’t say goodbye to their grandma.”

“When you see someone who passed away because of this evil virus,” he added, “text someone, call someone because that’s the only way you have closure, is by people who are strangers saying good-bye to your mom and helping you grieve and that is so critical to the families.”

You can watch above, via CNN.