Cuomo: Hogan ‘thought outside the box’ when buying test kits from South Korea

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) on Tuesday praised Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) for obtaining 500,000 coronavirus tests for his state from South Korea.

“It’s not what states are normally responsible for. … He really thought outside the box and was creative,” Cuomo said of Hogan while speaking at a daily press conference. 

On Monday Hogan announced that the state acquired the tests after President Trump has repeatedly said it is the states’ responsibility to increase testing, not his, though his administration has taken some actions to try to help bump up capacity. Trump announced Sunday he would use the Defense Production Act to increase supplies of swabs, one of the key supplies facing shortages.

Cuomo said that though it was smart for Hogan to acquire the tests himself, it’s not sustainable for each state to follow suit.

“But that piece is where the federal government can help us,” Cuomo said. “Let the federal government figure out South Korea, China and international supply issues, rather than have 50 states now figure out how to be like Governor Hogan.”

Hogan and Cuomo serve on the National Governors Association as chairman and vice chairman, respectively.

Cuomo said he learned about Hogan purchasing the tests from South Korea while watching the evening news with his daughters, and it made him feel “diminished as a governor.”

“Larry Hogan is a better governor,” Cuomo added.