BUFFALO, N.Y. — Southern Tier Republican Tom Reed says he has been demanding for months that federal investigators look into the Cuomo administration’s handling and reporting of nursing homes during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Thursday, he said was pleased to see reports the U.S. Attorney's Office and FBI had begun an inquiry.

The congressman believes the end result should be federal charges for at least the governor's top aide Melissa DeRosa.

"I believe there is enough evidence from her taped admission and the other information that is coming out that when this Department of Justice inquiry was going forward, there was manipulation of data, there was obstruction of justice and there was outright potential perjury to the justice officials that warrants direct arrest of not only DeRosa but Governor Cuomo, who directed in my opinion, some of this activity," Reed said.

Meanwhile he said the House Ways and Means Commission, which has federal oversight over nursing home operations, is also exploring the situation. He said the governor needs to answer more questions about his March 25 executive order that sent COVID-positive residents back into facilities.

Cuomo continues to say he was following federal guidance.

"The independent fact checkers in the political world rated the governor's attempt to lie about that back then as a falsehood then and as a falsehood today and so when you cover up a lie with another lie and you somehow think that we're stupid enough to believe you now, that is just arrogance beyond belief," Reed said.

In Albany and Rochester, state GOP Chair Nick Langworthy stood in front of U.S. Senate Leader Chuck Schumer's offices and challenged Schumer to join in the growing and bipartisan support for a thorough and independent investigation.

"I don't have to tell the people in the media here gathered today that if Chuck Schumer is running away from a camera, this must be a pretty serious scandal but he must come out of hiding," Langworthy said. "He must share his thoughts and comments on this story."

A Schumer spokesperson said he does not comment on ongoing Department of Justice investigations, although he refused questions this week before reports came out late Wednesday.