Cuomo's 'gun violence disaster emergency' that targets MANUFACTURERS in wake of July 4th weekend of bloodshed is slammed as 'political grandstanding' when he should be coming down harder on criminals

 New York Governor Andrew Cuomo's gun violence 'disaster emergency' has been slammed as 'political grandstanding' by opponents because he should be cracking down on criminals rather than weapons manufacturers.

New York became the first state in the nation to declare gun violence an emergency on Tuesday as Cuomo pointed the finger at the manufacturers of weapons as one of the main reasons behind the spate of shootings and killings that is at its highest level since the early 2000s.

However, critics have claimed it is 'political grandstanding' and that an increase in gun violence has been caused by 'soft-on-crime' policies such as the early release of prisoners, treating criminals 'like victims' and calls to defund the police. 


Cuomo targeted manufacturers of guns in a speech on Tuesday, with a bill allowing the New York Attorney General to sue them in some circumstances, and announced almost $139 million in investment to reduce the rapidly-rising death toll. 

Weapon manufacturers could face a lawsuit for harming the public by failing to take steps to prevent firearms from being sold unlawfully in New York, for instance. 

The announcement comes ahead of next year's election, where he is expected to launch a reelection campaign to stay in office.

'It is a matter of saving lives, and New York's future depends on it,' Cuomo said at a news conference at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in Manhattan. 

Cuomo is finally taking action over the surging crime rate in the Big Apple and the rest of the state, by signing legislation allowing for a lawsuit to be brought in cases where 'reasonable controls and procedures are not in place'. 

He also closed a loophole that allowed people with outstanding warrants for their arrest to purchase guns and said that they want to form a council aimed at gun-violence prevention. 

The announcement was made on the same day anti-crime Eric Adams won the New York City Democratic mayoral primary, putting him on track to succeed Mayor de Blasio.  

However, Cuomo placing the blame of a surge in gun violence on the manufacturers has faced criticism, with opponents claiming policies put in place which treat 'criminals like the victims' and releasing offenders from their prison sentences early is the reason, rather than the guns themselves.  

Mike Lawler, a member of the New York State Assembly, said that policies put in place which treat 'criminals like they are the victims' is the reason for the gun violence emergency, rather than the guns themselves. 

He said: 'Cashless bail for violent criminals; non-enforcement of petty crimes; defunding the police; eliminating the anti-crime unit; parole for cop killers, child rapists, murderers and depraved violent criminals. That is why we have a rise in crime and shootings. 

'If you want to fix it, cut the political grandstanding and reverse these disastrous policies now, otherwise we can expect the violence to continue and get worse.' 

New York state Republican Leader Rob Ortt, who slammed it as 'political grandstanding'.  

Andrew Cuomo, the governor of New York, was in Manhattan on Tuesday to sign into law a $139 million plan to combat gun crime in the state. Almost half of the money will go to violence prevention initiatives and finding jobs and training for young people deemed most at risk

Andrew Cuomo, the governor of New York, was in Manhattan on Tuesday to sign into law a $139 million plan to combat gun crime in the state. Almost half of the money will go to violence prevention initiatives and finding jobs and training for young people deemed most at risk

Bill Neidhart, spokesman for Mayor Bill de Blasio, said that Cuomo should address the issue of state bills which are in favour of state parolees after a bill in April restored their voting rights, the New York Post reported.  

He added that it was 'encouraging to see today's plan reflects what is in Safe Summer NYC, the comprehensive plan to fight back gun violence in New York City.

'Unfortunately, the Governor did not mention state bills that support state parolees, who are disproportionately involved in New York City shootings.'  

Cuomo said: 'The only industry in the United States of America immune from lawsuits are the gun manufacturers, but we will not stand for that any longer. 

'I am not only signing a new law that does away with this immunity, giving New York the ability to hold them accountable, but also closing the destructive Trump loophole which has allowed people with active warrants to purchase guns for far too long. 

'Now, if you have an active warrant, you cannot buy a gun in the State of New York, period.' 

Cuomo also outlined a vision of building a 'magic wall', in reference to former president Donald Trump, to stop traffickers from smuggling weapons from states such as Pennsylvania and New Jersey, which have less-restrictive gun laws than New York.   

Cuomo's announcement faced further criticism from Rob Ortt, who slammed it as 'political grandstanding' because the gun violence crisis has a direct link to the state's bail reform laws. 

In a statement posted to Twitter, Ortt said: 'The crisis in cities across our state today directly correlates with the passage of the disastrous bail and other criminal justice "reforms", an out-of-control Parole Board that has released countless murderers and other dangerous criminals, and calls by democrats to defund our police.

'These heinous acts of violence and the victims affected deserve real solutions - not political grandstanding.' 

Meanwhile, president of the London Center for Policy Research Tony Shaffer said the emergency order is a 'created crisis and "epidemic"' because of the reformed prison system which saw felons freed. 

However, critics have claimed it is 'political grandstanding' and that an increase in gun violence is caused by soft crime policies

However, critics have claimed it is 'political grandstanding' and that an increase in gun violence is caused by soft crime policies

He added: 'Guns are not the issue... political leadership failure is...' 

Cuomo unveiled a seven-point plan, including using 'data and science' to look at shooting 'hotspots' and treating gun violence as an 'emergency public health issue'.  

It comes less than two weeks after Cuomo lifted the state's disaster emergency on the Covid-19 pandemic, and he said gun violence should be treated as a public health crisis. 

Over the Fourth of July weekend, 51 people were shot in New York state with 26 of those in New York City alone. At least two of those were killed. Across the state, 14 victims were in Buffalo, five in Syracuse, three on Long Island, two in Utica and one in Rochester. During the holiday weekend, 13 people in the state died of COVID-19.  

'If you can beat COVID, you can beat gun violence. We're in a new epidemic, and it's gun violence, and it's a matter of life and death also,' Cuomo said.

'People are not coming back to this city, they're not coming back to any city, until they know they are safe.' 

The order allows the state to free up funds to create a special police unit to fight the trafficking of firearms from other states. At least 74% of guns used in crimes in New York were purchased out of state. 

NY first state to declare gun violence as a public health emergency
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New York City police officers investigate the scene where a man was shot and killed in Brooklyn on June 11. Gun crime is soaring in the city, and across the state

New York City police officers investigate the scene where a man was shot and killed in Brooklyn on June 11. Gun crime is soaring in the city, and across the state


In New York City police recorded more than 1,500 shootings in 2020, nearly almost twice as many as 2019, and the violence so far this year is at its highest level since the early 2000s. 

In New York, gun violence has spiked 32% over the same period in 2020 - some 886 people have been shot in 765 incidents this year through July 4, according to police statistics. 

Cuomo's war against guns comes after political foe de Blasio vowed to slash $1 billion from the police budget amid calls to defund the police, despite the surging crime rate in the past year.  

Adams, 60, is a former police officer and current president of the borough of Brooklyn. He said: 'I wore a bulletproof vest to keep my neighbors safe. I served my community as a State Senator & Brooklyn Borough President. And I'm honored to be the Democratic nominee to be the Mayor of the city I've always called home. Thank you, New York!'   

He said he was running to 'deliver on the promise of this great city for those who are struggling, who are underserved, and who are committed to a safe, fair, affordable future for all New Yorkers.'  

Cuomo's announcement comes off the back of a bloody Independence Day weekend across the nation. Between July 3 and July 5, there were 379 shootings and 142 people were killed across the US, according to Gun Violence Archive.  

The governor said that New York should show the rest of the U.S. how to deal with the crisis. 

'Treat gun violence as it is - which is really a public health emergency,' said Cuomo. 'That's what it is, and that's how we're going to treat it. So today, first state in the nation, is going to declare a disaster emergency on gun violence.'  

In his announcement, Cuomo said gun violence overwhelmingly affects poor, black and Latino communities, whose youth are three to 10 times as likely as whites to be victims of gun violence. But it matters for all, he said, because the state cannot rebound from the pandemic without addressing it. 

The governor said he was appointing a special coordinator for the prevention of gun violence attached to the state's health services.

The office will have to coordinate with social services, prison services, police forces and others. A special police unit to fight the trafficking of firearms from other states will also be created. 

The new legislation means gun manufacturers cannot endanger the safety and health of the public through the products they sell, which can be considered a public nuisance even if harm was not purposely caused.    

'This is a national problem - I get it. But somebody has to step up and somebody has to address it,' Cuomo said.

'And the place that should step up and address it is the state of New York. 

'And we should do it comprehensively and honestly and creatively. And that's what today is all about,' he said.

Cuomo poses for photos with advocates working to reduce gun violence in New York

Cuomo poses for photos with advocates working to reduce gun violence in New York

New York City police officers with the Crime Scene Unit investigate the scene in Brooklyn on June 11

New York City police officers with the Crime Scene Unit investigate the scene in Brooklyn on June 11

Members of the New York Police Department investigate the scene of a fatal double-shooting on June 6

Members of the New York Police Department investigate the scene of a fatal double-shooting on June 6

The governor said that New York should lead the nation in tackling gun violence. 

New York has some of the strictest gun laws in America but it is easy to travel and buy weapons in the neighboring states of Pennsylvania and New Jersey, which are more lax. 

'This is the state - when it sees an injustice, we don't look the other way: we stand up and we fight it, and that's what we're going to do with gun violence,' he said. 

Cuomo unveiled special measures aimed at curbing an increase in shootings that have beset New York City since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in spring last year.

'If you look at the recent numbers, more people are now dying from gun violence and crime than COVID,' his office said in a press release.

'This is a national problem but someone has to step up and address this problem because our future depends on it.'

Cuomo also announced $138 million of investment in intervention and prevention programs, including $76 million to create jobs for young people deemed most at risk.

Police in the New York City borough of Queens investigate a shooting on June 6. A man was wounded and a 10-year-old boy was hit in the chest and pronounced dead at a nearby hospital following the drive-by shooting

Police in the New York City borough of Queens investigate a shooting on June 6. A man was wounded and a 10-year-old boy was hit in the chest and pronounced dead at a nearby hospital following the drive-by shooting

The governor signed two laws into effect on Tuesday as well.

One 'public nuisance liability' law makes it easier for civilians to bring lawsuits against gun makers and dealers.

Manufacturers have been largely exempt from liability by federal law, which the New York law will circumvent. 

State Senator Zellnor Myrie, who sponsored the gun nuisance law and attended the governor's announcement, said it gave grieving mothers from the violence-plagued Brooklyn district of Brownsville and the city of Buffalo leverage against a gun industry that is making record profits. 

'Illegal guns are responsible for the overwhelming amount of violence on our streets — including the murder of police officers — and now we're the first state in the nation to say enough is enough; if you're a bad actor, you will pay,' he told The New York Times.

In a statement, he added: 'In this year's state budget, we declared gun violence a public health crisis, especially affecting Black and Brown communities like the ones I represent. 

'Today, we're taking bold action to address this crisis head on by enacting the strongest gun industry liability law in the nation. This new law makes it clear: New York will not hesitate to hold gun companies accountable for reckless and irresponsible actions that lead to bloodshed in our streets.' 

The second is designed to prevent those wanted for crimes from being able to acquire a weapon. 

Senator Brian Kavanagh said that the new legislation 'represents significant steps in our continuing efforts to end the scourge of gun violence'. 

He said: 'While we have enacted some of the strongest gun laws in the US and have much lower rates of gun deaths and injuries than most other states, we must remain committed to doing all we can to keep guns out of the hands of those who shouldn't have them.' 

Assembly Member Patricia Fahy said that they are helping to keep New Yorkers safe from 'the scourge of gun violence'. 

She said: 'For far too long, most guns recovered from violent crimes and shootings in New York are trafficked in from out-of-state, yet the gun industry in the United States enjoys special protection from civil liability under a 2005 federal law known as PLCAA. 

'Passing this landmark legislation will allow gun manufacturers and distributors, who knowingly use bad actors to market their products, to be held civilly liable for the damage they cause on our streets. 

'We have led the nation on gun legislation - and we aren't letting up now to help keep New Yorkers safe from the scourge of gun violence.'

She added: 'It will be an effective tool to leverage in the fight against gun violence this year in New York State and shift the national conversation.'   

Assembly Member Amy Paulin said that it 'makes common sense' for people who have an outstanding warrant to not be able to buy a gun. 

She said: 'Too often, we see guns get into the wrong hands, with disastrous results. 

'If you have committed a serious offense, and there is an outstanding warrant for your arrest, you shouldn't have a gun.'   

New York Stat Republican Leader Rob Ortt, who slammed it as 'political grandstanding'. 

'Days after finally relinquishing his emergency powers, the governor has declared another emergency,' Ortt said. 'The crisis in cities across our state today directly correlates with the passage of the disastrous bail and other criminal justice 'reforms,' an out-of-control parole board that has released countless murderers and other dangerous criminals, and calls by Democrats to defund our police.'

These measures come as New York and the US face a sharp rise in crime since last summer.

The country's major cities saw a 30 per cent increase in homicides in 2020, with Republicans accusing Democratic leaders of negligence.

President Joe Biden introduced measures on June 23 to limit the flow of firearms but a divided Congress makes it difficult for Democrats to pass laws.

Cuomo's 'gun violence disaster emergency' that targets MANUFACTURERS in wake of July 4th weekend of bloodshed is slammed as 'political grandstanding' when he should be coming down harder on criminals Cuomo's 'gun violence disaster emergency' that targets MANUFACTURERS in wake of July 4th weekend of bloodshed is slammed as 'political grandstanding' when he should be coming down harder on criminals Reviewed by CUZZ BLUE on July 07, 2021 Rating: 5

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