CNN’s Don Lemon issues clarification agreeing with NY Gov. Kathy Hochul on bail reform
Hochul and CNN both claimed that bail reform has no impact on crime rates.
CNN issued a clarification agreeing with Democratic New York Gov. Kathy Hochul after she suggested that bail reform in her state has no substantial impact on crime rates.
During a Friday appearance on "CNN This Morning," Hochul was asked by host Poppy Harlow about GOP opponent Lee Zeldin’s plan to repeal bail reform in the state.
Zeldin revealed in October that he would declare a crime emergency on day one, unlocking executive powers that would allow him to suspend state laws that limit cash bail, solitary confinement and the ways gunmen under 18 can be tried in adult court.
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Hochul told CNN that such an approach was "simplistic," and said that support for the police and touting "violence disruptor" programs was a better alternative. She also claimed that Zeldin did not support funding for the police, whereas she tripled the budget.
"To say that you’re going to just change one part of the system shows a naiveté that is not going to be a real solution," Hochul said.
The New York governor also said that she has made "targeted changes" to bail reform laws, and said that while she is always open to look at it again, the data showed cashless bail was not a significant cause of crime. She also suggested that Zeldin wants more guns in schools, in the subways and around the city as a way to combat crime.
CNN co-host Don Lemon then issued a clarification.
"This is according to CNN and other fact-checks—there is no evidence to suggest that bail reform is a major factor, and you know if that changes, of course we will tell you, but so far there is no evidence linking bail reform to what has been taking place in some cities," he said.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul appears on CNN on Friday. (CNN / Screenshot)
Recent advertisements from Hochul refer to a strengthening of the state's cash bail laws, which was included in the fiscal year 2023 budget and was adopted on April 9.
The changes include expanding the list of factors for judges to consider when setting bail, which adds "history of gun use or possession" (which currently applies only in domestic violence cases), "any previous violation of an order of protection (which currently applies only in domestic violence cases)," and "whether the charge is alleged to have caused serious harm to an individual or individuals," according to the governor's website.
The enacted budget also allows judges to set the bail for three felony gun offenses that weren't bail eligible.
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Additionally, repeat felonies and class A misdemeanors "involving harm to a person or property will now be both arrest-eligible and bail-eligible."
New York's 2020 bail reform law eliminated options for cash bail for most nonviolent crimes.
Fox News’ Adam Sabes contributed to this report.
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