Former New York Gov. George Pataki told Newsmax Wednesday that incumbent Democrat Gov. Kathy Hochul made a "major mistake" when she defended the violent crime status quo during her prime-time debate with Republican challenger Lee Zeldin Tuesday night.
"People look at New York and they think it was safe for so long," the Republican former governor said during an appearance on "Wake Up America." "Well, it wasn't when I took office, and today New Yorkers across the political spectrum — Democrats, liberals, independents and, of course, Republicans and conservatives — take a look and say that our criminal justice system is failing."
"The no-bail law is absurd," Pataki continued. "It lets violent criminals get arrested by the police, who are trying so hard, and they're out on the street the same day to commit more crimes. It has to change."
Reflecting on the debate, Pataki said that "Hochul defended an unacceptable status quo" and that was a "major mistake on her part."
The three-term governor said that crime in New York today is "worse than when Hochul took office."
"In New York City, it doesn't matter if you're a Democrat, Republican, liberal, conservative," Pataki said. "You're afraid to ride the subway. When you walk in the streets, even in Midtown in the middle of the day, you're looking over your shoulder, hoping nothing's going to happen. It wasn't like that until these no bail and other ridiculous criminal justice so-called reforms were put in place."
"New York is a Democratic state and you need to get over a million Democrats to say I want to try something different, and I will vote for a Republican to do that," he continued. "That was the case in 1994 when we were the most violent, the most dangerous state in America."
When asked if Zeldin was making the right move in focusing his campaign spending on New York City, which has approximately 43% of the state's electorate, Pataki said "absolutely right."
"Zeldin actually was very effective in linking some of the corrupt deals that were made in Albany with her campaign financing," he said. "He's absolutely right to be focusing in New York City. A Republican is not going to get 50%, but you get over 30% and you have an excellent chance of carrying the state."
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