By: Jared Evan

Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, now the Democratic front-runner in the mayoral race, stood firmly behind the state’s controversial bail reform laws, calling them a correction to a “terrible social wrong”—despite growing concerns over rising crime.

The New York Post reports that Cuomo defended his criminal justice record following a campaign stop at Harlem’s Mount Neboh Baptist Church, insisting that judicial discretion had since been adjusted, and that bail reform was necessary to prevent economic disparities in the justice system.

Cuomo, fearful that Mayor Adams might still have strong Black support in NYC, made sure to appear at a Harlem church

“We were putting people in Rikers, in jail, who hadn’t been found guilty of anything just because they couldn’t make bail,” Cuomo said, per The Post. “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.”

While pushing his criminal justice stance, it is important to note theso called moderate Cuomo spent much of his gubernatorial reign attacking U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), an agency he has repeatedly called “thugs.” As The New York Post has reported, Cuomo has long opposed ICE’s role in immigration enforcement, at one point ordering state agencies to refuse cooperation with federal immigration authorities.

“He has made it clear where he stands—against law enforcement officers who put their lives on the line to enforce our nation’s immigration laws,” a law enforcement source told TJV. “He didn’t just oppose ICE, he demonized them.”

Despite positioning himself as tough on crime with a promise to hire 5,000 more NYPD officers, Cuomo’s record remains at odds with law-and-order policies. His mayoral campaign follows years of advocating policies that critics say fueled lawlessness, including granting driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants and supporting sanctuary city policies that obstruct ICE from detaining criminal offenders.

Adding to his radical platform, Cuomo has built his campaign on an aggressive pro-abortion stance, an issue he has championed throughout his political career. Cuomo previously signed the Reproductive Health Act, one of the most extreme abortion laws in the nation, allowing abortion up until the moment of birth. His mayoral run has reignited criticism from pro-life advocates who argue that his policies go beyond mainstream Democratic positions and into extremist territory.

During his tenure as governor, Cuomo took direct aim at pro-life New Yorkers, stating in 2014 that those who oppose abortion “have no place in the state of New York.” His unabashed support for unrestricted abortion has become a focal point in his bid for City Hall, drawing opposition from religious and conservative leaders alike.

Meanwhile, current Mayor Eric Adams faces a crowded field in his reelection campaign, with The Post reporting that former three-term Republican Gov. George Pataki has warned voters against electing Cuomo. “I look at Cuomo… [who] would have been impeached if he hadn’t resigned,” Pataki said on WABC’s “Cats Roundtable.” “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.”

Cuomo, forced to resign in disgrace over multiple sexual harassment allegations, has sought to rehabilitate his image while simultaneously avoiding responsibility for his past scandals—including his administration’s underreporting of COVID-related nursing home deaths.

With crime, immigration, and abortion among the top issues of the election, Cuomo’s record remains polarizing.