Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg surprised by ‘push back’ — defends policies
Newly installed Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg defended his controversial policies in a Harlem speech Saturday saying it had been a “long week” that left him surprised about the “push back” on his progressive agenda.
“I’m new to politics but I’m steadfast. We are going to stay the course,” Bragg said at the Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network headquarters.
The DA’s policies, made public Tuesday, included instructions to his prosecutors to stop seeking prison sentences for many crimes and to downgrade felony charges in cases including armed robberies and drug dealing.
Bragg told the supportive crowd at NAN’s House of Justice that no one should be surprised by his actions.
“We said we were going to marry fairness and safety and we laid out a specific plan,”
he said. “We put on the website, we put it in print and this week after January 1st we got down to work and we are doing what we said we would do.”
Bragg said some career criminals needed to be connected to mental health or addiction services.
“This is going to make us safer. It’s intuitive. It’s common sense,” he said. “I don’t understand the push back.”
But he insisted he would be tough on guns.
“If you go into the store in Manhattan and used a gun to rob that store, that’s is armed robbery, that is serious and we will be prosecuting armed robbery in Manhattan,” he said.
The new policies led Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell to say Friday that she was concerned for the safety of her officers.
Bragg said Saturday he would not go soft on anyone who harmed cops.
“So to all my partners in law enforcement, let’s also be clear about another thing,” he said. “If you are assaulted, that is a serious matter and a crime and that will be prosecuted as such in the County of New York, Manhattan.”
Bragg said afterward he would have “discussions and collaboration” with the police commissioner.
