New York Governor Andrew Cuomo trashed New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio in a series of public comments Tuesday, calling de Blasio’s handling of NYC riots a “disgrace,” claiming de Blasio refused to authorize the use of the National Guard to quell unrest, and suggesting he could “displace” the mayor — though he’s not ready to do that just yet.
Fox News reports that Cuomo blasted de Blasio first at a press conference, calling both de Blasio’s and the New York Police Department’s performance over the weekend and on Monday night a “disgrace,” and calling attention to high-profile incidents of looting, including of Macy’s iconic flagship store in Herald Square.
You have 38,000 NYPD people, it is the largest police department in the United States of America,” Cuomo railed. “Use 38,000 people and protect property. Use the police, protect property, and people. Look at the videos, it was a disgrace.”
“The NYPD and the Mayor did not do their job last night,” Cuomo stated flatly.
Roving gangs of looters “stormed Midtown Manhattan for a second night in a row Monday, brazenly bashing through the windows of high-end stores and making off with stolen goods as police attempted to control the chaos,” according to the New York Post, which covered the riots in real-time. Many of the rioters “clashed with protesters,” they noted, who tried, unsuccessfully, to “stop the looting and destruction.”
“In advance of an 11 p.m. curfew, looters breached a Best Buy, Nike Flatiron, Aldo, Microsoft, Michael Kors and the Nintendo store in Rockefeller Center,” the Post reported.
President Donald Trump complained on Twitter that the Cuomo brothers had a “bad day” and that NYC was left to the looters.
“Yesterday was a bad day for the Cuomo Brothers,” Trump tweeted. “New York was lost to the looters, thugs, Radical Left, and all other forms of Lowlife & Scum. The Governor refuses to accept my offer of a dominating National Guard. NYC was ripped to pieces. Likewise, Fredo’s ratings are down 50%!”
Cuomo was adamant that he was not the problem. In later statements, he claimed that de Blasio refused the use of the National Guard to stop the looting and that he, Cuomo, reserved the right to “displace” the mayor and call in the Guard himself.
His “option is to displace the mayor … bring in the National Guard,” Cuomo said, before quickly noting that, “I don’t think we’re at that point.”
“That would be such a chaotic situation in the midst of an already chaotic situation. I don’t think that makes any sense,” Cuomo added.
De Blasio defended himself at his own press conference, announcing a curfew beginning at 8 pm and lasting until 5 am and promising additional police resources on the street.
“We are going to ensure there are additional NYPD resources where they are needed,” the mayor said Tuesday. “We are going to work actively and strategically to stop any disorder, but again community leaders need to be a part of this effort.”
He adamantly refused to call in the National Guard, however.
“We do not need, nor do we think it is wise for the National Guard to be in New York City. Nor any armed forces,” he said. “When outside armed forces go into communities no good comes of it.”
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