WASHINGTON — The Justice Department has opened a criminal investigation into former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo after congressional Republicans recommended that he be charged with lying over his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, a person familiar with the matter said Tuesday.

The U.S. attorney’s office in Washington launched the investigation shortly after Rep. James Comer, Republican chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, asked the Justice Department to prosecute Cuomo over statements he made to the committee investigating his management of the pandemic when the virus was spreading through nursing homes, the person said. They spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss an ongoing investigation.

A spokesperson for Cuomo said Tuesday that the former governor was never informed of any such investigation. Cuomo is currently running for mayor of New York City.

“So why would someone leak it now? The answer is obvious: This is lawfare and election interference plain and simple - something President Trump and his top Department of Justice officials say they are against,” Cuomo spokesperson Rich Azzopardi said in an email.

The investigation was first reported Tuesday by The New York Times. The Justice Department declined Tuesday to comment. Spokespeople for the U.S. attorney’s office in Washington didn’t immediately respond to messages seeking comment.

For more information, visit The Washington Times COVID-19 resource page.