Lee Zeldin torches Kathy Hochul after murder of college student's father: 'Pandering to pro-criminal allies'
Liberal governor slammed for waiting days to comment on murder of college student's father by repeat offender
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}New York gubernatorial candidate Rep. Lee Zeldin is challenging incumbent Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) over her lack of action to mitigate the crime crisis facing the Empire State.
The Republican congressman joined "The Faulkner Focus" Friday to respond to Hochul's office's comments on a father who was killed by a repeat offender while visiting his son at college.
A spokesperson for Hochul said Thursday the governor is committed to "keep New Yorkers safe," after a Marist College student's father was killed in a shooting Sunday at a hotel near campus.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}MARIST COLLEGE DAD MURDER: SUSPECT THREATENED TO SHOOT MAN IN FACE PRIOR TO NEW YORK ROBBERY
FILE: Kathy Hochul, governor of New York, speaks during the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) annual meeting in New York, US, on Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2022. (Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
"Our hearts are with the family and friends of Paul Kutz as they mourn this tragic loss," said Hochul communications director Julie Wood. "Gov. Hochul's top priority is to keep New Yorkers safe, and she continues to work every day with law enforcement and local officials to improve the criminal justice system, combat violence, and strengthen public safety in communities across the state."
Zeldin said Hochul is failing to take accountability for her actions as governor. He said the Poughkeepsie murder is another instance of repeat offenders committing violent crimes.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"She's been pandering to pro-criminal allies and she's been on the wrong side of these issues one after the other," he told Harris Faulkner, saying people are being murdered and attacked by people released on "cashless bail."
"Kathy Hochul can't confront this head-on because she hasn't actually been doing anything about it."
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Zeldin pointed out the hypocrisy from Hochul and NYC Mayor Eric Adams for complaining about the busing of migrants from the southern border, as they remain silent on the Biden administration regularly flying migrants to New York's Westchester County, and now an airport in the small town of Montgomery.
"[It's] via the Joe Biden travel agency, where they're flying [migrants] to these destinations, they'll give you a phone on top of it," he said.
"Listen, if the federal government sent New York City a check today to take care of everyone who is here currently illegally, that's not going to solve the issue because you still have people coming across illegally every day."