New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio are extending lockdowns because they are "banking" on a bailout from the incoming Biden administration, according to Fox News' Charles Gasparino.
New York has some of the strictest coronavirus restrictions. Indoor dining has been suspended and many New York City public schools remain closed for in-person instruction. Gyms are also closed, and non-essential gatherings of any size are prohibited if residents are in a COVID-19 red zone.
"What's really horrible about this is the incompetence and kind of the callousness of Gov. Cuomo and Bill de Blasio," Gasparino told Fox News' "America's Newsroom." "I mean, they are really banking on a bailout from Joe Biden and now the Democratic controlled Senate.
"That bailout, basically, in their view allows them to do stupid things with the economy of New York like keep it closed down for as long as possible," he added.
Prolonging the shutdown with the expectation of a bailout "defies real logic," Gasparino said.
"It's scary because, listen, people want to get back to work," he said.
"They're going to pay an economic price for it, and the real economy in New York City is going to suffer well into next year and what they are doing is they are hoping for a bailout. It is really a bizarre situation."