On Sunday, it was learned by The New York Post that New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, has plans to release nearly 900 inmates before the new year, days before a new bail-reform law takes effect.
But the criminals don’t just get early release; New York City mayor and failed 2020 presidential candidate Bill de Blasio is sweetening the deal, the Post reported, by giving the convicts free Mets tickets, gift cards, and movie passes to entice them into showing up for their court dates.
“You’re literally rewarding them for committing a crime,’’ a senior staffer in Manhattan Criminal Court told the New York outlet.
And it gets better. De Blasio has admitted that he’s not even sure how much the program will cost, or where the funds will come from to fund Convict Day in Citi Field Stadium.
“Mayor Bill de Blasio admitted Wednesday he has no idea how much his administration is spending on tickets to movies and Mets games used to entice accused criminals into returning for their mandated court appearances — three days after The Post revealed the program’s existence,” the Post reported Wednesday.
“I’m not aware of the specifics of the budgeting and how it works and where the funds come from,” the mayor said during a press conference.
The program is reportedly run by de Blasio’s “Office of Criminal Justice in conjunction with the not-for-profit Criminal Justice Agency,” the Post noted.
“In a world where want speedier trials, if small incentives are part of what actually makes it work then that’s a smart policy,” de Blasio argued.
Think the deal can’t get any sweeter for the law-abiding citizens of NY? Think again. The criminals who would potentially receive early release and score sweet Mets tickets have committed violent crimes, including homicide, according to the Post:
“The more than 400 offenses include such heinous acts as criminally negligent homicide, aggravated assault on a child under 11 and selling drugs on or near school grounds, according to a memo being circulated by prosecutors across the state and obtained by The Post.”
Trump reacted to the expected release of the criminals on Tuesday, writing via Twitter: “So sad to see what is happening in New York where Governor Cuomo & Mayor DeBlasio are letting out 900 Criminals, some hardened & bad, onto the sidewalks of our rapidly declining, because of them, city. The Radical Left Dems are killing our cities. NYPD Commissioner is resigning!”
So sad to see what is happening in New York where Governor Cuomo & Mayor DeBlasio are letting out 900 Criminals, some hardened & bad, onto the sidewalks of our rapidly declining, because of them, city. The Radical Left Dems are killing our cities. NYPD Commissioner is resigning!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 5, 2019
The New York City mayor was once a 2020 hopeful, but his dismal polling triggered him to drop out of the race in September.
“Getting out there, being able to hear people’s concerns, address them with new ideas, has been an extraordinary experience,” de Blasio said at the time, as noted by The Daily Wire. “But I have to tell you, at the same time, I feel like I’ve contributed all I can to this primary election and it’s clearly not my time so I’m going to end my presidential campaign.”
Trump was quick to mock the short-lived run, tweeting:
“Oh no, really big political news, perhaps the biggest story in years! Part time Mayor of New York City, @BilldeBlasio, who was polling at a solid ZERO but had tremendous room for growth, has shocking [sic] dropped out of the Presidential race. NYC is devastated, he’s coming home!”
Oh no, really big political news, perhaps the biggest story in years! Part time Mayor of New York City, @BilldeBlasio, who was polling at a solid ZERO but had tremendous room for growth, has shocking dropped out of the Presidential race. NYC is devastated, he’s coming home!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 20, 2019