Former governor Andrew Cuomo issued an ominous prediction last Thursday, suggesting that if Zohran Mamdani secures the mayoral seat of New York City, it could be a precursor to President Trump seizing control. During an event in Harlem held close to where an unfortunate woman lost her life due to a stray bullet, Cuomo categorically labeled Mamdani’s public policy propositions as detrimental to the safety of the city dwellers.
Cuomo asserted that electing Mamdani, perceived as lenient towards crime and of socialist belief, could furnish Trump with the excuse to dispatch federal forces into New York City — a stance he demonstrated in Washington D.C., and has hinted at doing if Mamdani assumes the mayor’s office. Cuomo, proceeding as an independent, opinioned that Trump’s response could be potentially swift and immediate followed by Mamdani’s victory.
‘The day after Mamdani’s victory, I wouldn’t be caught off-guard were Trump to instigate some sort of action,’ cautioned Cuomo, himself contesting in the November elections as an independent, after being defeated by Mamdani in the Democratic primary. Cuomo also posited that Trump would refrain from sending federals into the city if he, Cuomo, held the mayorship, convinced that there was no valid reason for the President to make such a decision.
Despite his persistent criticism of Mamdani’s perspective on public safety, Cuomo adamantly refused to assume any responsibility for the 2019 bail reforms enacted during his time as governor. Critics of the reform argue that its implementation has contributed to a revival of repeat-offense criminal activity within the city.
Circumventing responsibility, Cuomo pointed fingers at the state legislators, accusing them of not permitting judges the leverage to overrule the mandate and detain potentially dangerous suspects in custody. ‘I had initially intended to incorporate in the law an article about discretionary power to judges based on the dangerousness of the individual, however, that proposal was shot down by the legislature at the time,’ Cuomo stated just moments after painting the picture of himself being a tireless defender against an excessively powerful Trump.
His plea of defenselessness was countered when Trump, on the following Monday, enacted an executive order with the aim to abolish cashless bail — a prominent feature of the reform that Cuomo endorsed. The executive order, somewhat ambiguously worded, warned states and local jurisdictions that they risked losing federal funding if the cash bail system were to be substantially abolished, implying that it enables criminals increased opportunities to engage in new or violent crime.
In reaction to Trump’s recent order, Governor Kathy Hochul claimed that New York does indeed have a cash bail system in place for violent crimes such as murder, robbery, and rape. The reforms primarily intended to eliminate bails for minor offenses and non-violent crimes.
Cuomo maintained silence over Trump’s executive order until the subsequent Wednesday when he finally broke his silence by stating, ‘We aren’t devoid of cash bail.’ This statement contrasted with his 2019 State of the State proposal, which clearly stipulated: ‘Governor Cuomo is promoting legislation aimed at abolishing cash bail ultimately.’ The proposal urged judges to gauge whether a defendant represented a ‘current threat.’
Cuomo stuck to his assertion that judges should be in a position to exercise ‘judicial discretion’, and emphasized that alterations made to the reforms over time have gradually accommodated this feature. Cuomo’s offensive against Mamdani and his conjectured susceptibility to Trump’s dictates came to light as his adversary protested against the Trump administration on Wall Street.
A representative for Mamdani’s campaign made an observation about Al Sharpton ‘calling out’ Cuomo and Mayor Eric Adams for their absence at the protest march. The representative critically added that Cuomo’s exploit of a tragic shooting incident for his own political mileage, bore testimony to his approach to politics.
Reverting to the potential of an authoritarian government dispatched from Washington D.C., the spokesperson emphasized, ‘It’s common knowledge that Zohran would be a safeguard for New Yorkers. In stark contrast, Trump’s favored candidate for mayor, Andrew Cuomo, is more likely to concede to his overwhelming commands.’
The post Potential NYC Mayoral Election Forecasts Trump Intervention: Cuomo’s Warning appeared first on Real News Now.
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