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Will You Be Observing The 10-Person Mandate?
- Yes
- No
Staten Island Republican Councilman Joe Borelli, the city council minority whip, declared that he will not be adhering to Cuomo’s mandates, even promoting inter-state travel against the state’s orders.
“I’ll be having more than 10 ppl at my house on Thanksgiving,” Borelli tweeted on Wednesday, Nov. 11. “Some family will come from (gasp!) New Jersey. Kids will see their grandparents, cousins will play in the yard, sis in law will bring strawberry rhubarb pie, & a turkey will be overcooked.
“My Thanksgiving party which hasn’t happened yet gets blamed for today's (sic) Covid numbers but suggesting maybe massive gatherings in NYC 7-10 days ago are partly responsible is just crazy you guys,” he later added.
Both New York and New Jersey have seen spikes in infection rate, COVID-19 hospitalizations, and new cases since fall hit, after the state “flattened the curve” over the summer.
According to a press release announcing the rules, the limit of 10 is being implemented "due to the recent prevalence of COVID spread resulting from small indoor gatherings which have become a major cause of cluster activity across the state."
Borelli doubled down in an op-ed piece in the New York Daily News on Friday, Nov. 13, stating that Cuomo and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio have “crossed a line.”
“Let me be clear about this: Government should have no role in determining how many family members you may lawfully have in your own home,” he wrote. “Not even in the midst of a deadly pandemic.
“Suggestions, recommendations or guidelines are all fine, but our governor’s and mayor’s new regulation requiring 10 or fewer people in a private residence crosses a line. My family, my house, and, so long as we obey fire and zoning codes, my rules.”
In response, Rich Azzopardi, a Cuomo spokesperson, admonished Borelli for his rigid stance that defies the advice of scientists as COVID-19 cases continue to climb.
"Nothing says Thanksgiving like putting loved ones in harm's way to own the libs," Azzopardi wrote. "Don't be a Borelli: stay smart this holiday; follow the rules, they're there to keep people from getting sick. Also, socially distance, wear a mask, and wash your hands!"
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