A new bill introduced by New York's Republican delegation would allow federal authorities to bypass states like New York that are perceived to have soft policies on crime and give law enforcement funds directly to local governments.
The bill, introduced by Rep. Marc Molinaro (R-Upstate New York) and revealed exclusively by The Washington Post, would allocate a portion of federal law enforcement funding directly to local governments if their states have laws like New York's Clean Slate and bail waiver laws in place.
“Taxpayers should not have to foot the bill to prop up an administration in Albany that threatens our safety,” Molinaro said in a statement to The Washington Post.
“This bill would take money away from Albany and reinvest it directly into local police, courts and governments that are actually doing the work to restore public safety,” he continued.
The bill is co-sponsored by all but one of New York's Republican senators.
The bill, which offers few details, would require the Justice Department to withhold funds intended for states if they do not allow judges to determine bail eligibility based on “danger level” standards or have a “general policy providing for sealing the criminal records of felons.”
New York is the only state in the nation without a “risk threshold,” which lawmakers repealed in the 1970s. Last year, New York enacted a “Clean Slate” law that would seal an individual's criminal record for purposes unrelated to law enforcement or background checks.
Crime and public safety remain among the most pressing issues on voters' minds heading into November.
At the University of Siena A poll conducted last month54% of New York voters say crime has gotten worse in the past year.
“If Albany politicians like John Mannion are so adamant about supporting pro-criminal policies like cashless bail that fail our families, federal funds should go directly to the police officers who are putting their lives on the line to keep us safe,” Rep. Brandon Williams, D-New York, said in a statement to The Washington Post about his Democratic opponent, state Sen. John Mannion (D-Onondaga County).
It's a familiar tactic for Republicans: Former Long Island Rep. Lee Zeldin ran his 2022 campaign against Gov. Kathy Haukle on a strong crime platform, and Democrats have since tried to regain the upper hand with public safety arguments.
Democrat Josh Riley, who is trying for a second time to defeat Molinaro, has previously said he supports the Clean Slate Act.
“We have a lot of work to do when it comes to our criminal justice system to keep our communities safe and to address a lot of the inequities that we've seen over the years,” Riley said. 2022 WSKG News Interviews.
“We need to fully fund our law enforcement agencies, and I will continue to support efforts to achieve that goal,” Riley said in a statement to The Post Sunday.
Even if the Republican bill passes the House by the end of the year, it is almost certain to face difficulties in the Democratic-controlled Senate.
