Cuomo doubles down on bail reform during NYC mayor’s race: ‘Righted a terrible social wrong’

Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo stood by the Empire State’s controversial bail reforms Sunday, telling parishioners at a Harlem church during a mayoral campaign stop that, “It righted a terrible social wrong.”

Cuomo, 67, has become the frontrunner 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 during an appearance 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.”

State legislators have tweaked the legislation since its initial passage in 2019 to give judges some wiggle room, although most crimes are still not eligible for bail.

However, Cuomo, who also served as state attorney general, continued to talk law and order on the campaign trail, reiterating a promise to hire 5,000 more cops to beef up the NYPD.

“We have city officials, many of whom want to be mayor in New York, who uttered the three dumbest of the policy words you can write — ‘cut the police,’” he said Sunday. “Why? Because they were pandering to the extremists and it was popular for some people to say.

“That was the progressive thing to do.”

He said restoring the ranks of New York’s Finest to the levels they were at during former Mayor David Dinkins’ tenure would serve to halt the wave of New Yorkers fleeing for greener pastures.

Cuomo also took a shot at President Trump, warning that he would meddle in New York politics — something Gov. Kathy Hochul spoke up about after the White House shut down congestion pricing.

“We dealt with President Trump and we did just fine,” he said. “I’m not saying it is not a challenge. I dealt with him all through COVID. Day after day it was a challenge, but we rose to the occasion.”

Meanwhile Adams, who faces a crowded field of challengers, addressed parishioners at the Iglesia Pentecostal de Jesucristo de Queens on Sunday, addressing an audience of about 100.

Former three-term Republican Gov. George Pataki made his mind known Sunday as well, saying it would be a mistake for Big Apple residents to elect Andrew Cuomo as mayor.

“I look at Cuomo …[who] would have been impeached if he hadn’t resigned,” Pataki said on WABC 770 the “Cats Roundtable” program.

“His record is one of being about himself, and not about the right policies. All you have to do is look at what he did during COVID to see that … We all make mistakes … but you don’t lie about it. You don’t pretend it never happened,” he said, referring to Cuomo’ being accused of low-balling pandemic related deaths of nursing home residents

“You don’t blame it on someone else. You take responsibility. That has not been the case [with Cuomo].” 

He said the city has done best under Republican mayors, pointing to Rudy Giuliani and Mike Bloomberg.

Additional reporting by Valentina Jaramillo and Carl Campanile