Lee Zeldin: Protesters are 'demoralizing' police, leaders don't have their back
Congressman Lee Zeldin reacts to NY AG Letitia James stating 'New Yorkers no longer trust the police'
Rep. Lee Zeldin, R-N.Y., told “America’s Newsroom” on Thursday that he doesn’t agree with New York Attorney General Letitia James’ “broad statement” that “New Yorkers have lost faith in law enforcement.”
James released a preliminary report regarding her office’s ongoing investigation into the NYPD’s response to last month’s protests, highlighting disparities between its treatment of White people and communities of color, and calling for a change-up of the department’s command structure, more diversity among leadership and the “redesign” of police’s role in society.
James released her office’s “Preliminary Report in Ongoing Investigation into NYPD Response to Recent Protests,” in a tweet on Wednesday afternoon, writing, “it is impossible to deny that many New Yorkers have lost faith in law enforcement.”
When asked if he agrees with the assessment that New Yorkers don’t trust the police to do their jobs fairly Zeldin said, “That's a broad statement, you shouldn't be speaking for the entire state.”
“When you say ‘New Yorkers,’ you might get an impression that all New Yorkers feel that,” he said. “I don't even believe that most New Yorkers feel that way.”
He went on to say that he also thinks it’s important for state and local elected officials “to be communicating with the public to support law enforcement and to send a strong message that we are for rule of law, we’re for safety and security, we’re for peace and prosperity and actually build more support up for law enforcement.”
“You shouldn’t be making a broad-based statement like that because it's just not accurate,” Zeldin added. “I feel like the message that’s being sent should be building up more support for law enforcement and not supporting the narrative or eroding it.”
Zeldin made the comments amid a growing push to defund or dismantle police departments across the country following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody in May.
Last week, New York City lawmakers voted on budget changes that shifted $1 billion from the NYPD to programs that assist in youth and community development.
AOC SAYS PROPOSED $1B BUDGET CUT TO NYPD ISN'T ENOUGH: 'DEFUNDING POLICE MEANS DEFUNDING POLICE’
“When they say defund the police, the protests are going a lot further than just that rhetorically,” Zeldin said. “There are a lot of expletives, often up in the face of police.”
“So the demoralizing toward the profession is coming in many ways beyond the physical assaults and going after their budget,” he added.
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“It’s also been the way that the leaders don’t seem to have law enforcement’s back as these protesters are trying to tear them down in very personal ways.”
Fox News’ Stephanie Pagones contributed to this report.
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