Albany Progressives Are Delaying the Budget Due to Their Opposition to Criminal Justice Reforms

It’s crystal clear why progressives are delaying the state budget instead of accepting Governor Kathy Hochul’s reasonable proposals regarding involuntary commitment and “discovery” reform: These extremists disdain law enforcement, are skeptical of all judges, and possess an irrational hostility toward the criminal justice system itself.

These lawmakers prefer allowing criminals to roam free rather than permit law enforcement to effectively carry out their duties, even if it means innocent people suffer.

Take Hochul’s plea to introduce a touch of reason to the discovery laws, which dictate the types of evidence prosecutors must compile and share with defense attorneys: Even if legislators approved all her proposals, New York would still have — by a long shot! — the most burdensome discovery statutes in the country.

For instance, Hochul seeks to eliminate the requirement that district attorneys gather all “related” evidence, even if it’s obviously irrelevant. Sensible: There’s no need to collect unrelated information.

She also wants to allow courts to impose less severe penalties than case dismissal for violations of discovery rules.

Progressive lawmakers lack faith in judges to make any of those decisions: They adhere to rules that set the undeniably guilty free on minor technicalities.

It’s unfortunate if that, for example, places a woman in life-threatening situations due to domestic violence. Or allows a serial offender caught with an illegal firearm to walk away.

It’s sheer lunacy. If we cannot trust the police, the judiciary, and prosecutors to maintain a good-faith criminal justice system, then what’s the point of having one?

Perhaps that is exactly what the radicals desire — but not ordinary citizens.

The same goes for their suspicion of police officers attempting to help mentally ill individuals who undoubtedly require assistance and might pose risks to themselves and others.

Hochul’s proposed changes would facilitate the process of mandating an evaluation for mental health; she would also empower nurse practitioners to commit an individual if they have a doctor’s approval.

Once again, this is a reasonable approach.

Yet, lawmakers refuse to entertain it, citing unfounded fears of racism.

Instead, they suggest allocating large sums of taxpayer money to impractical (especially in rural areas) “crisis-management teams” that are powerless to effectively remove dangerous mentally ill individuals from the streets.

This situation leaves New Yorkers with a revolving door for repeat offenders like Muslim Brunson — who, according to police, was allowed to attack a random woman despite having participated in 36 mental health hearings.

When will rational individuals regain control of the state Capitol — or perhaps, the asylum?