© REUTERS/Carlo AllegriNew York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo (D)
"Santa's going to be very good to me. I can tell. I worked hard this year," Cuomo claimed at a Monday press conference, encouraging New Yorkers to have a "healthy holiday."
The governor also jokingly gave Santa Claus an exemption from New York Covid-19 pandemic traveling restrictions.
Cuomo's comments have invited backlash on social media, with critics reminding the governor of his numerous controversies this year.
"He definitely worked hard on his book deal, his Emmy award and lying through his teeth all year," Fox News meteorologist Janice Dean tweeted in response to the press conference.
Dean lost both her in-laws to Covid-19 and has blasted Cuomo on numerous occasions for an early order during the pandemic forcing nursing homes to take in positive Covid cases, a decision critics say led to thousands of deaths.
"Governor Cuomo deserves coal in his stocking for the rest of his life," conservative pundit Brad Polumbo wrote.
"Cuomo is Trump with a different party initial after his name and the media in his corner," writer Stephen L. Miller added.
Cuomo's most recent controversy came when a former aide, Lindsey Boylan, accused him of years of sexual harassment against her and others. Cuomo has denied the allegation.
Despite his numerous critics, Cuomo still has plenty of supporters. The governor was thrust into the national spotlight this year thanks to multiple public feuds with President Donald Trump, he won an Emmy Award, and even celebrated sales for a book on his leadership during the pandemic, published in October.
New York is still suffering the effects of the pandemic with over 36,000 deaths recorded, as well as more than 800,000 cases.
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