We’ve been covering the House Judiciary Committee crime hearing that took place in New York City that was supposed to be focused on the failures of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
I wrote earlier about the leftist protesters who tried to disrupt the hearing and carried around professionally made signs attacking the Chair of the Committee, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH). But as I noted, what was funny was that even in liberal New York there were very few such protesters.
Democrats tried to deflect from the hearing by trying to make it about former President Donald Trump, claiming that Republicans were trying to attack Bragg because he recently filed charges against the former president. That infuriated the victims who were there to be heard about how Bragg had failed them and their family members. As we reported, Madeline Brame, whose son had been murdered, took Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY) to the cleaners when he tried to call the hearing a “charade.” Democrats were so concentrated on their political agenda that they didn’t give a darn about the victims or their families. Another relative of a victim also blasted Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) when he started bringing up Trump, saying Democrats wanted to do anything to avoid talking about the problem with Bragg.
"You're the only ones talking about Donald Trump, we're testifying about our families dying."
Hecklers interrupt Rep. @AdamSchiff pic.twitter.com/8lalJayKK3
— Media Research Center (@theMRC) April 17, 2023
“You’re the only ones talking about Donald Trump, we’re testifying about our families dying,” the man shouted, calling Schiff a “scumbag.”
I want to highlight the testimony of the family members and the people Bragg’s policies have been hurting. Madeline Brame spoke about her son who had been murdered. She put the focus back where it was supposed to be, and what Democrats were trying to deflect from.
This is what righteous indignation looks like. pic.twitter.com/YNQTCpWaEp
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) April 17, 2023
Bragg let two of the four people involved in the killing of her son, Sgt. Hason Correa, go on lesser charges, even though the police had them on video. “If that’s not a threat to public safety, I don’t know what is,” she proclaimed. “If he’s receiving one penny of federal dollars, you need to pull that funding until he starts doing his damn job and prosecuting crime!” She added that the victims’ families didn’t care about politics, as long as whoever is in the job “stands for law and order.”
Madeline Brame DESTROYS the Left's narrative that today's hearing is about politics.
"Victims can care less about anyone's political ideology!" pic.twitter.com/yv6Dzv7HPn
— House Judiciary GOP (@JudiciaryGOP) April 17, 2023
Brame said that the only people bringing up Trump were the Democrats. She lit them up, charging, “You work for us, we do not work for you.”
Paul DiGiacomo, President of the New York City’s Detectives’ Endowment Association, testified saying that a lot of the laws enacted in New York [by Democrats] are counterproductive to the safety of the people.
"Two young men were executed in…Manhattan. And I strongly believe it was because of the memos put out by the DA's Office that they were not going to enforce assaults on police officers."
-Paul DiGiacomo, President of the New York City’s Detectives’ Endowment Association. pic.twitter.com/BYzLLtUaPW
— House Judiciary GOP (@JudiciaryGOP) April 17, 2023
DiGiacomo said there was a direct correlation between the bail reform laws and the uptick in violent crime across the city, arguing that horrible crimes were being reduced to the level of a traffic ticket every day in Manhattan. “Two young men were executed in…Manhattan. And I strongly believe it was because of the memos put out by the DA’s Office that they were not going to enforce assaults on police officers,” DiGiacomo said. “We have to start concentrating on the victims of crime.”
While Bragg doesn’t properly prosecute people who should be prosecuted, he did try to go after Jose Alba, the bodega owner who defended himself when he was attacked in his store. Ultimately the charges were dropped after there was a nationwide outcry against what Bragg was doing.
Jose Alba, NYC bodega clerk who was charged for stabbing a man in self-defense, tells his story at House Judiciary hearing
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) April 17, 2023
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) decimated the Democrats’ dismissive claims about the witness family members being “props.” Gaetz said they were there to uplift the voices of brave people who are there to “tell their story.”
.@RepMattGaetz Asks Witnesses if they feel 'Used' by the Committee Hearing
GAETZ: "Ms. Brame do you feel used?"
BRAME: "I'm a willing participant!" pic.twitter.com/A6mUvTibuc
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) April 17, 2023
Victims’ advocate Jennifer Harrison said she was “beyond grateful” to be able to testify because the “Democratic party” has “ignored us and we need federal oversight.”
If there’s anything that was a better metaphor for the failure of the Democrats and Alvin Bragg to properly deal with crime in Manhattan, it was this. Even as the hearing was going on, when Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) was talking, there was a blackout in the hearing room and the lights went out.
BLACKOUT: The power cuts out during the House Judiciary Committee's hearing on violent crime in New York City. pic.twitter.com/BjIz6dG45q
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) April 17, 2023