Fox News' Janice Dean Rejoices at Andrew Cuomo's Exit—'Angels Were on Our Side'

A Fox News meteorologist who said she saw family members die from COVID in New York care homes celebrated the resignation of Governor Andrew Cuomo on Tuesday, days after a state attorney general's report found that he sexually harassed close to a dozen women.

Janice Dean, a senior meteorologist at Fox News, who became a high-profile critic of Cuomo after she said her father-in-law and mother-in-law died after contracting COVID-19 in the summer of 2020 while they were residents of nursing homes in New York. She called the governor a "monster" in an op-ed on Tuesday and said that the voices of those criticizing Cuomo were heard "loud and clear."

She also said that she had conversations over text with several of the women who accused Cuomo of sexual harassment, writing that "we all sent texts back and forth about how much we loved each other and how we were all in this for the right reasons."

The meteorologist has repeatedly attributed both of the deaths of her family members to a New York advisory backed by Cuomo in March 2020 that meant that nursing home residents could be admitted and readmitted to the facilities even if they had tested positive for COVID.

Records obtained by the Associated Press revealed that 9,056 recovering COVID patients were released from hospitals and into care homes in 2020 under the directive.

In an opinion piece for Newsweek in February, Dean said that "Andrew Cuomo effectively issued a death warrant that helped kill thousands of elderly, including my husband's parents," and said that she spoke out because she "felt it was important to use my voice to speak out for those that no longer had one."

Dean reacted to the news of Cuomo's resignation on Tuesday afternoon via a series of tweets, the op-ed and then during brief appearances on Fox News and Fox News Radio.

"Omg ... It's happening ... He. Is. Out. God bless America," Dean wrote during Cuomo's press conference to announce his resignation, where the governor accepted that he made "mistakes" with his interactions with women while in office.

"This is one of the most challenging times for government in a generation. Government really needs to function today. Government needs to perform. It is a matter of life and death, government operations," Cuomo said on Tuesday.

"And wasting energy on distractions is the last thing that state government should be doing. And I cannot be the cause of that. I think given the circumstances, the best way I can help now is if I step aside and let government get back to governing. And therefore that's what I'll do."

Dean, a meteorologist and author who joined Fox News in 2004, appeared on the network shortly after Cuomo's resignation speech finished, telling the hosts: "Today's a good day but I will say this, I want justice.

"I don't want this to be the end of the chapter. I want investigations to continue. I want justice for those brave women that came forward and I want justice for those who have no voice, who are in a grave right now because of his mandate."

Dean then claimed that Cuomo's actions in regards to nursing homes and COVID measures had "gotten caught up in the Me Too stuff," before adding that his legacy is "an abuse of power.

"That's what this guy has been leaving with in the last two terms, the abuse of power. It's over today. Do not forget that he has investigations, some could turn criminal. His corruption runs deep."

The meteorologist then appeared on Fox News Radio later in the day to further react to the news, revealing to host Guy Benson that she and her family finally held a memorial for her relatives on Monday who died in the care homes last year.

"Today is a good day. I'm not going to lie today. The angels were on our side Guy. I really, truly believe that," Dean said, as she celebrated that now Cuomo "will be powerless."

She was then asked by Benson about previous comments made by a spokesperson for Cuomo, who said that Dean is "not a credible source on anything except maybe the weather."

Before laughing with Benson, Dean referenced her criticisms of Cuomo and replied: "My long-range forecast was pretty darn good, it's hard to do that."

Newsweek has contacted Fox News and Cuomo's office for comment.