Judge rules Cuomo must have sign language interpreters during coronavirus briefings

A federal judge on Tuesday ruled that Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D-NY) must have a sign-language interpreter available for his daily television press briefings regarding the coronavirus pandemic no later than Wednesday.

The ruling comes after four deaf New York residents sued the governor late last month for not having an interpreter present at the briefings.

“Defendant is directed to immediately implement in-frame ASL [American sign language] interpretation during his daily press briefings,” wrote Judge Valerie Caproni in the ruling.

Up until the ruling, the feed for Cuomo’s briefings did not have an interpreter in the camera shot, forcing those who count on ASL to go the governor’s website for interpretation.

Other local leaders in the New York tri-state area, including New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) and Gov. Phil Murphy (D-N.J.), have interpreters included in their respective video feeds.

“Without immediate implementation of an in-frame ASL interpreter, Plaintiffs and other similarly situated deaf New Yorkers will continue to be denied timely access to this critical information, leaving them less able to comply with current orders and advice, less able to prepare for the future, and more anxious about current conditions and the future,” Caproni also wrote.

In a letter to Caprioni, Cuomo’s office indicated it is working to have have an in-frame interpreter by the Wednesday deadline.