AMAC Exclusive – By Andrew Abbott
After years of backing “soft-on-justice” reforms and reformers, Democrats might finally be catching on to the damage they’ve done. On Friday, New York Governor Kathy Hochul revealed that she was meeting with Manhattan District Attorney (DA) Alvin Bragg to “lay down the law” with the borough’s top prosecutor. The meeting was announced hours after the widow of slain New York Detective Jason Rivera blasted the DA in a powerful eulogy to her husband. With crime spiking, unrest rising, and the Democratic Party facing a brutal midterm election season, this latest rebuke might be the first sign that Democrats are distancing themselves from their radical “reimagining” of criminal justice.
From his first day in office, DA Bragg made his vision for justice in New York clear by releasing a memo that expressly stated that his office would “drop some misdemeanor cases, not seek bail or prison time for most defendants, and downgrade certain felonies to misdemeanors.” The most controversial of these reforms is his decision to downgrade armed robbery with a deadly weapon to a misdemeanor charge in most cases. After the memo received intense public backlash, Brag insisted that people simply “misread” his memo, but made it clear that he had no intention of revising his policies.
During his campaign and after taking office, Bragg also asserted that charges like gun possession should be handled with greater leniency – even as he and like-minded progressives continue to blame guns for the rise in violent crime. Although New York City has strict laws that limit gun ownership and make possession of a firearm a felony offense, Bragg made it clear that prosecutors should only seek jail time for gun possession for “extraordinary circumstances.” What exactly those extraordinary circumstances were, Bragg failed to specify.
This move was a shock to many New Yorkers. In 2020, the city endured 1,531 shootings, and over 100% increase from 2019. In 2021 that rate climbed to 1,877, the highest in years. Despite this, many progressive New Yorkers, whose wealth and distance from the city’s most dangerous neighborhoods sheltered them from this violence, celebrated Bragg for embracing the principles of “restorative justice” championed by the “Defund the Police” movement.
The disastrous results of Bragg’s policies have been clear and tragic. On January 14th, 19-year-old Kristal Bayton-Nieves, a Burger King employee, was shot during an armed robbery despite complying with the demands of the robbers. Only a week later, an 11-month-old baby was shot in the face by a stray bullet after a man fired multiple shots down a public street while chasing another man. Most shockingly, five New York City Police Officers have already been killed in the line of duty this year. The most recent was Officer Wilbert Mora and Detective Jason Rivera. Rivera was 22, one of the youngest New York Police Officers ever killed in the line of duty. The assailant, Lashawn J. McNeil, was a repeat offender who had several arrests in his past.
During the funeral of Officer Rivera, Dominique Luzuriaga, Rivera’s widow, explicitly blasted the DA during her eulogy, saying that “We are not safe anymore, not even the members of the service. “I know you were tired of these laws, especially those from the new DA,” Luzuriaga said. “I hope he’s watching you speak through me right now.” Luzuriaga’s comments received a standing ovation. She joins a chorus of business leaders who have also blasted Bragg for his policies and have even hinted at a potential recall effort.
The meeting between Governor Hochul and Bragg also served as another public rebuke of the DA and, potentially, an attempt by Democrats to harden their stance on crime ahead of the looming midterm elections. Bragg isn’t alone in receiving backlash. Across the country, progressive DA’s – many of whom were handpicked and financially backed by liberal megadonor billionaire George Soros – are facing severe scrutiny. In San Francisco, DA Chesa Boudin’s office has been accused of withholding evidence “in the hopes of convicting a police officer of excessive force.” In Los Angles, DA George Gascon is facing a recall effort due to his refusal to prosecute or incriminate most accused criminals. In the most recent and alarming case in which Gascon asked for reduced jail time, a 26-year-old transgender woman, who is still biologically male, was sentenced to serve only two years in a female juvenile detention center for the crime of molesting a 10-year-old girl in a public women’s bathroom.
While Bragg has made public comments suggesting he will shift his policies, specifically in cases involving deadly weapons, his office has yet to live up to this assurance. Last week, a 16-year-old rapper who shot a police officer with an illegal firearm and was arraigned on “charges of felony assault and criminal possession of a weapon” has been released on bond. This is his second charge for possessing an illegal weapon. He secured the funds as part of his record contract advance. The NYPD Police Benevolent Association has blasted the move, stating: “If anybody wants to know why we have a crisis of violence in this city, or why we’re about to bury two hero police officers, look no further than this disgraceful bail release.”
New Yorkers of all political persuasions have made clear that, when it comes to DA Bragg’s policies, words alone won’t suffice. And if Bragg and like-minded progressive prosecutors don’t follow through on their words with actions soon, Democrats up and down the ballot will surely feel the frustration of the voters this fall.
Andrew Abbott is the pen name of a writer and public affairs consultant with over a decade of experience in DC at the intersection of politics and culture.
If Governor Hochul was serious about “laying down the law” to DA Bragg, she would have fired him on the spot. She does have that authority after all and as his boss, she owes it to the people of New York City to remove any DA from office that refuses to enforce the laws of the state. Instead, she opted for a glorified press announcement / photo op that she hopes will bolster her election bid, with DA Bragg being allowed to continue doing exactly what he has been doing since Day One. The really sad thing in all of this is the majority of people in NY will continue to mindlessly vote for these same soft on criminals Democrats, even as the city and the state crime levels keep rising. You can’t fix stupid and there is a LOT of stupid residing in NY.
By the way, the same can be said for California and every other Democrat run state where crime is spiking steadily upward. If the majority of people in those states want to continue to embrace the tenets of socialism, which is all “progressivism” is by another name, then they have to live with the consequences. One of which is escalating rates of crime and the loss of personal safety. The collapse of law and order, as the society spirals downward under socialism, is a consistent outcome of the ideology.
My husband came up with a new personal montra – “It’s time!” and indeed it is. 50,000 truckers took over Ottawa. That skinny little tweet Trudeau is in hiding and well he should be. Now our American truckers are joining the Canadians and a clarion call has gone out around the world. Put the Woke to sleep forever. It’s time!”
Governor has the power to remove this Marxist pos from office, but internal Democrat politics are in the way. She still is very loyal to Democrat politburo and no diff than Cuomo was.
That damn city has been a stake in the heart of this whole country for years…so sick of them and their Anti-American crap and Pro-Communism rhetoric. They vote these losers in year after year, and Cu-homo is a murderer! Of course, let us not forget how they bleed the whole state dry. As for the rich elite liberals sheltered in their cozy homes and condos..f*** them too!
That widow really gave it to the DA. The entire audience including the Catholic clergy stood up when she said it. Perhaps they will all vote Republican now but that’s highly doubtful that they will see the light.
another scarier thought is the demorats will begin to make some positive improvements in time for the 2022 mid-terms and the american idiots will suck it up once again and forget the real tragedies that took place across the u.s.
It would not matter if the entire country hit the breaking point with the Manhattan DA…until someone who has the power and ability to remove him does so. He could care less what anyone thinks, he is gonna do what he is gonna do.
Since he is in an elected position, then start a RECALL petition for his removal for failure to protect the citizens and allowing criminals to rule.
New york politics is a gigantic game of twister. The politicians are beholden to soros et al but when crime spikes the leftwing population bleats for protection. What to do? If they crack down there’re be wails of protest. After all, everyone there ‘knows’ guns control people and cause them to commit violence. How about this: simply deny theres any increase in crime. Blame reports to the contrary on a vast right wing conspiracy. Problem solved.
Conniving, calculated plan of the dumocrates to tyrannically control society with aid of their version of Hitlers brown shirts criminal thugs! If they can’t subjugate us with the law, then use outlaws to control. I say don’t kick these assholes out office, imprison them for life, so they live their kind! Enough is enough; it is time we take back country from the likes of socialist Soros!!!
Plain and simple. Both political sides are nothing more than lip service! Trust me (wait that is a politicians line) nothing will come of this!
I AM GOING WAY OUT ONTO A LIMB. DOES BRAGG LIKE OTHER LEFTIST DAs MAINTAIN A PROGRAM WHERE BLACKS( WHICH SEEM TO BE THE TARGETS OF THIS PROGRAM BECAUSE THEY ARE ASSUMED TO BE ALLEGEDLY POOR AND CAN’T HELP THEMSELVES ARE EXEMPT FROM PARTS OF THE LAWS OF THIS COUNTRY AND POSSIBLY PARTS OF THE LAWS OF CERTAIN STATES ?????? I WOULD BET THAT BRAGG LIVES IN A COMMUNITY/AREA WITH 24 HOUR POLICE/SECURITY PRESENCE.
Vote all the liberal Democrats out of office!!!!
Maybe 1981 movie Escape from NY is Prophesy??
Hey New York remember Rudy Guliani, he came in after Limp Dick Dinkins another ineffective minority mayor. People are dying, recall this “CLOWN” Alvin Bragg now it does not work.
I keep hearing people say how NYC is the greatest city in the world. How can anyone make that claim when enough voters and city residents tolerate and even condone these policies? NYC is not alone, Chicago, L.A. and many other have, in my opinion, fallen from the rank of a great city to a festering sever.
If the world had to have an enema, the nozzle would have to be inserted in nyc.
Will we begin seeing fewer prisoners?
Bottom line: demorats don’t give a rip about the damage they’re doing! Our cops and our justice system have been under attack at least since Comrade Clinton was occupying our Oval Office. Police officers were routinely gunned down when Barack Hussein Obama was in office…the start of the war on cops.
There is a plan and a purpose for destroying our Constitutional justice system…when working as it was designed to do…there was little problem with murderers, punks, thugs and career criminals…they got severe and deserved judgement. The present criminal ‘justice’ system is nothing more than a sick joke, weak, inefficient, BUT serves a purpose…it’s just not “justice”.
Pick up a book on Marxist history…or better yet get Mark Levine’s book called “American Marxism.” It explains in painful and chilling detail exactly what the demorat party is trying to accomplish. In every nation who’s had their police forces “displaced” they’ve been replaced by government “military” forces…in Germany they were called “gestapo”. Add to this, forcing our cops, medical professionals, corporate employee’s etc. to get what even the leftist “media” is starting to admit…FORCED shots of unproven vaccines and this same “media” is admitting there are “problems” with these “vaccines….no joke comrade!
There is a plan…one that’s been in place for decades. One praised by George Bush Sr. on his presidential acceptance speech…in short; “We must usher in the New World Order.”
There is no surprise that a “judge “ elected with the money of the Globalist, corrupt, and billionaire GEORGE SOROS is lawless.
Keep voteing for does democrats in NYC like the new mayor you deserve what y get..
Never forget that the players in this tragedy who hold public office remain polititians first and servants of the people last. The governor and the D.A. will do and say what it takes to keep their jobs, even when others die because they (the gov. and D.A. and others) are not doing their jobs. The article noted that the people who support these leftists are distanced from the reality of living in New York city and could care less what happens to police officers, victims of crime and the innocent dead….if they did, they would be pushing back….but that is not happening….and most likely never will. This is still a case of class verses due process and preservation of the culture. The “third hands” in all this are those eliteists who manipulate from their ivory towers with their money and power (ie. Soros and others) and they will never be held accountable. So is the state of affairs we now have in place.
WHO EXACTLY ARE THESE ELITIST PROGRESSIVE NEW YORKERS ?????? Probably the same ones who sold the entire country up the river to our CCP enemies and figured out exactly how to circumvent our laws and allow crazed police hating criminals out on little or no bail so they can literally KILL POLICE!!! And believe me there doing it almost DAILY!!! This is a definite planned and systematic destruction of our law and our protection as free and honest American citizens. George Soros is smiling like never before.
This is real easy to cure since nothing is going to be considered a crime you go after Democrat prosecutors with guns rob them take what you want , rape their wives and kids and you are following the law and penalties according to them. I guarantee that laws will change overnight. Give them what they think the rest of us should endure.
I don’t get it: how can these D.A.’s be so soft on crime when the very nature of their job is to go after criminals. Do they not understand their own job description? Why do they insist on giving criminals a free pass? It makes no sense whatsoever.
Perhaps it is time to go after the enabler of so much of this lunacy. The author of this article states, “Across the country, progressive DA’s – many of whom were handpicked and financially backed by liberal megadonor billionaire George Soros – are facing severe scrutiny.” It is time for George Soros to quit getting a free pass. Anyone taking his money should be locked up for life, and Mr. Soros needs to be deported to a remote island in the middle of nowhere.
And yet the beat goes on…Guns are killing people not bad people using guns. Killers will kill and do rapist use guns? The BS is just piling high and deep and the beat goes on until they unarm the good citizens.
Jamai
Isn’t it “Democrat Party” not Democratic? There is nothing democratic about the people who are doing their best to upend this republic- not “Republican” – icountry.
Feeling the ‘frustration’ of the voters????? It is WAY more than that!! That brain matter deficient NYC DA got a public humiliation bashing at, of all places, and which they should have run him out, at a funeral during that poor women’s eulogy.
I’m sorry, DemoCommunist states are taking about one third of the demographics in this country. Those states are what constitutes ‘Banana Republics’ already. There is NOTHING that can remotely be described as positive or constructive evolving from those states Dictators. It’s highly unfortunate that we can actually place the blame for all of this coming about, on ourselves. We’re a mostly lazy, spoiled, self serving, thankless and ungodly generation of people who have no clue as to how we got here. Note I said ‘mostly’ when describing our degrading circumstaces. God has been watching the entire time. How can He let this go on? Well, He is God, and as He says, ‘no one knows the mind of the Lord.’ He created us in His likeness, and I’m hoping that in itself accounts for His mercy in not blasting us out of the Universe. He gave us ‘free will’ to make choices knowing full well we always fail on our own. Our fleshly hearts desires is what sets us apart from Him. And indeed, ‘The spirit is willing, but the flesh is week.’ And there lies the genius in our all knowing God, that being week, we come to understand we won’t make it without Him.
We’ve had so many examples set before us, reading about Israel’s historical spiritual significance in their relationship, or lack of with their God.
God’s Words told us those He gave to Jesus, He would never lose. I believe all of what God’s Word tells us, but I also believe He knows who will betray Him…just like with Judas. It is high time we examine ourselves, whether we are in the Spirit.
‘Will He find faith on the earth??’
God must be first and foremost in our lives, because we’ve already seen where placing Him other than that has landed us. I’ve failed God many times……but I’m still here praising Him for who He is. He’s a “Great King!”
Lord, please see fit to save this nation to bring glory back to you, in Christ’s name, Amen.
I have GOT to add, many of the comments below seem to describe exactly what has been going on in Communist, Socialist China! It’s just really a hard pill to swallow that it IS happening here in the United States!
I’ve decided that WOKE stands for:
W..HINY
O..BLIVIOUS
K..NIVING
E..NEMIES!!
Well NYC and the State of NY and it’s citizens have exactly what they deserve and the type of DA’s, city council’s and representation in DC like AOC and the other DumbocRats, they elected them, they continue to elect them and they damned sure shouldn’t have the right to complain they did it to themselves, so suck it up and deal with it.
THEY DON’T CARE! The DA will not change. It’s what he ran on and they still elected him. Why would he change because the unelected governor asks him to? People can so so stupid when it’s right in front of them.
I have a simple solution to these DA’s who refuse to prosecute criminals, defund their offices. If they will not do their jobs, which is to protect the public and punish criminals then they’ve put themselves out of a job.
Just maybe the ignorant people who support these toxic law breakers,and ridiculous defunding of law enforcement are able to recognize how dangerous the marxist democrat policies are.
Always easy for them to look the other way until it hits home,then they blame everyone else for their misfortunes. Learn a lesson, throw the progressive marxist democrats out, save your cities and Country!
Hochul doesn’t mean it; she’s just scapegoating Bragg. Nothing will change until the Democrats and their communist allies are decisively defeated.
Don’t worry. The Commiecrats will lie through their teeth and say the right things in commercials to get people to vote their way and then return to their Marxist fundamentals once elected. It’s an old commie practice that always seems to work!!
I can only feel so sorry for most of these communities. They elected these officials and now are all upset about their policies. How many of these voters made their selection based solely on the “D” by the candidate’s name? Be careful what you ask for because it is more difficult to remove these slugs than to thoughtfully examine each candidate and select the best one based on their beliefs and prior performance.
If they left for another department elsewhere in the country they would be in good company.
Any person, and I don’t care about their party affiliation, race, gender, or otherwise, if they do not uphold the laws of this country, and they are in writing and well stated, should be thrown in jail immediately and prosecuted.
Trump did not help situation yesterday, when he stated that if elected again he might pardon all of the mob arrested for Jan 6th capitol attack —- as he feels they are treated unfairly. What, what, what about the +100 police that were injured by this mob ??? Cannot believe a former POTUS would come out in favor of this mob conduct.
Are these judges elected or appointed? Do they have to pass a test or follow a rule book in the courtroom.
There are many reasons why I didn’t stay in NYS after graduating from college. But the voters bizarre embrace of crime and criminals was the leading factor. Even though they have brought it upon themselves, I still feel sorry for the decent people who remain in New York.
Just a thought, maybe the NYPD should not protect the politicians until something is done to put criminals where they belong
When it comes to those liberal progressive Da’s, and their lacks policy’s maybe it is time they become the target of their belief’s
As is often the case the men and women of law enforcement need to stand up and say enough. The idiotic liberal policies and Soros owned AG’s are a combination for death and mayhem. Support the Blue.
Wish the DAs had to live in the same area they are representing??? What would happen if they were assaulted or robbed? They would flap around like suffocating fish and suddenly declare a “Tough on crime” platform, then they would release the criminal!
Maybe the dims need to have one day of shooting and killing. Every year like that movie that allowed free killings with no repercussion
We love AMAC and will remain members as long as God has us here.
Gun possession should never be a crime, unless that individual is specifically precluded from having a gun for cause, remember the Second Amendment? It is the misuse of a gun that needs to be a crime, not possession.
Gun laws can be selectively applied to the DA’s political enemies as a weapon. Part of the movement to make the average citizen feel more dependent on government for protection from everything. Anyone who passes a background check should be able to concealed carry. When your local sheriff is up for election support the candidate who supports gun rights and will issue concealed carry permits. This should be an automatic right but in states so far to the nanny state left this is a step in the correct direction.
I bet if the police unions staged a one-day nationwide walkout people would notice….