Bail Reform Still a Public Safety Crisis

A legislative column by Assemblyman David DiPietro (R,C,I-East Aurora)

“It’s still ongoing, families are being devastated, lives are being lost and property is being destroyed. All thanks to the Majority politicians refusal to accept that they ruined the bail system and put the entirety of New York’s justice system at risk.

The bail reform measures took effect on January 1 of this year. These changes have resulted in dozens of criminals being let loose onto our streets, and some bail reform defenders have called our response to it fear-mongering and overblowing an issue, but let me paint you a picture: do you think someone who has committed any of these crimes should be allowed to walk free?

  • Criminal sale of a controlled substance
  • Manslaughter in the second degree
  • Aggravated vehicular homicide
  • Money laundering in support of terrorism
  • Failure to register as a sex offender
  • Promoting an obscene sexual performance by a child
  • Aggravated cruelty toward animals

That’s not all of them, but those are some of the worst. It is indefensible that those charged with these crimes will be allowed to go free. These are some of the consequences of allowing liberals free reign in the Legislature. Manslaughter is non-violent? What about failure to register as a sex offender? Promoting child pornography? This is simply disgusting, and I am disturbed that these are the priorities of the Majority politicians.

Judges’ discretion to protect us has been jeopardized. I’ve joined with my Minority peers in the Assembly and Senate, members of law enforcement from across the state and victims to call for its full repeal. I’m not going to say our bail system is perfect, but we cannot destroy the public’s safety, or leave people to be harmed and killed in the streets, to adhere to some progressive lunacy that this is successful. My solution is a simple one: REPEAL BAIL REFORM!”