Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo stood by the Empire State’s controversial bail reforms Sunday, telling reporters after a mayoral campaign stop at a Harlem church that, “It righted a terrible social wrong.”
Cuomo, 67, has become the front-runner since throwing his hat into the race to unseat Mayor Eric Adams, playing largely on his performance during his 11 years as the state’s chief executive — including the criminal justice reforms that lawmakers passed on his watch.
“Some people raised issues about not having enough judicial discretion in that bill,” the ex-governor said after speaking at Mount Neboh Baptist Church. “That has been changed, that has been remedied. So now it’s up to the judges, it’s up to the prosecutors, to actually use their discretion and bring the appropriate charges.”
“And remember, bail reform righted a terrible wrong. We were putting people in Riker’s, in jail, who hadn’t been found guilty of anything just because they couldn’t make bail,” he said. “It shouldn’t be that because you’re wealthy, then you can make bail and you’re released, but if you can’t make bail, then you stay in jail, even though you haven’t been found guilty of anything yet.”…