More than 87% of all of the suspects arrested in New York's Nassau County this spring were released without bail and County Executive Bruce Blakeman tells Newsmax that his county, like the rest of the state, is suffering from a crime epidemic because of the laws passed by liberal lawmakers in Albany.
"We are larger than 10 states in population, but we are subject to the tyranny from Albany by these Democrat legislators and governor that promulgate laws that give these criminals the right to get out over and over and over again without having to post bail," the Republican official told Newsmax's "National Report."
Blakeman's comments follow a New York Post article about his presentations during a recent press conference, where he noted that more than 87% of criminal suspects that had been arrested in his county between April and June had been released without bail.
The report, based on police data for the second quarter of 2022, shows that of 3,019 people who were arrested, 2,641 were let go without bail. These included people who had been charged in assaults, gun-related incidents, and drug cases, which Blakeman emphasized Monday "are major crimes, not petty crimes, major crimes."
Nassau and Suffolk counties, located just east of New York City, are generally referred to as Long Island. The county contains three cities, three towns, 64 incorporated villages, and more than 60 unincorporated hamlets.
Blakeman called the Democrats' laws hypocritical, saying that they like to speak out against gun violence while pointing out that under the rules, a judge can't hold a person under bail who is arrested for carrying an illegal firearm.
"That's the hypocrisy we have to deal with," he said. "Our police are doing a great job. They're making the arrests. They're solving the crimes, only to bring their defendants before a judge and the judge has no choice but to let them go without having to post bail."
Blakeman said there is one way to fight back, and that is to elect new officials.
"I'm supporting Lee Zeldin for governor because he's a guy who will step up the first day he gets in office and do everything he can to repeal the cashless bail law," said Blakeman. "He will do everything he can to support law enforcement rather than to support criminals … if he's our next governor, I think you'll see a change in the way we treat criminals in New York."
Blakeman added that since there is not a primary on the GOP side in Nassau County, his focus will be upstate and on Mark Molinaro in the special election to replace former Rep. Antonio Gelcardo, the Democrat who became lieutenant governor.
"He has conservative values," Blakeman said of Molinaro. "He's a common sense guy, and I think that if he wins that special election he will hold it this November, and we'll flip a seat. It will be the first step on showing Nancy Pelosi the door from the speaker's office."
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Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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