Mayor Bill de Blasio should take responsibility for the city’s crime wave instead of blaming state judges, a spokesman for the judicial system said Thursday.
Earlier in the day, de Blasio said courts should be in charge of keeping New Yorkers safe from a surge in shooting.
“We need our criminal justice system to work again,” he said during a City Council press conference.
“I am imploring everyone in the Court Administration Office, please, we need our judicial system to work again. We cannot keep this city safe if we do not have a functioning judicial system, too many months have passed.
“Listen to our plea because that is what will keep our communities safe,” he said.
But Lucian Chalfen, a spokesman for the Court Administration Office, said the judges never stopped working.
Throughout this pandemic, through the unremitting hard work and dedication of judges, non-judicial staff and judicial officials, the New York State court system has continued to function. We have never closed: not for a day, not for an hour, not for a minute, “said Chalfen.
“Clearly, the mayor continues to refuse to take any responsibility for his actions, instead of blaming it,” he added.
Pat Cullen, president of the New York State Supreme Court Officers Association, seconded the criticism.
“Bill de Blasio is a complete moron. Blaming a state agency that has remained operational despite a global health emergency is what we expect from the most destructive person in the history of this city.
“Our members have kept the criminal justice system moving in the face of a global pandemic. They should be applauded for their bravery, however, the mayor points the finger at court officials who don’t even work for New York City, “Cullen said.
Thursday was the second time in a month that court officials responded to the mayor’s blame game.
State criminal court judges have continued to prosecute arrested suspects and hold hearings. However, there is a massive backlog of pending criminal cases because grand juries cannot meet to make formal charges, and trials have been suspended due to restrictions on social distancing due to coronaviruses.
De Blasio’s comments came after at least six people were shot in the city early Thursday morning, including a 16-year-old boy injured while leaving a party in Brooklyn, police said.
Police Commissioner Dermot Shea said in a CNN interview Thursday that the police are struggling to do their job because of the anti-police sentiment of George Floyd’s protests and politically motivated laws as a new anti-strangling bill. that “wife” to the NYPD.
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