Ex-Rep. Peter King rips Hochul on bail reform, says she’s in ‘surrender’ mode

Former US Rep. Peter King slammed Gov. Kathy Hochul on Sunday for what he called her “surrender” to liberal lawmakers in Albany over the state’s controversial bail-reform measures.

King, a former Republican congressman from Long Island, ripped Hochul during an appearance on WABC-770 radio’s “Cat’s Roundtable,” accusing her of not using her “bully pulpit” to push legislators to undo the notoriously lenient justice reforms.

“She should definitely challenge them,” King told host John Catsimatidis. “She’s the governor. Everyone knows who the governor is.

“The governor has a statewide bully pulpit. The governor can get out there and take them on the way [former New York City Mayor] Ed Koch used to do, [ex-Sen.] Al D’Amato, [former Gov.] Mario Cuomo,” he said. “You take on the people who are blocking things. You expose to the public.

“Instead, if the governor sits in a room with the door closed and says, ‘I want this changed,’ and they say, ‘We’re not going to change it,’ and she walks out and says, ‘I can’t get it done,’ that’s a surrender,” King said. “That’s not leadership. That’s not how you get the job done.”

Hochul’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment Sunday.

King’s rant stems from the state’s 2019 bail-reform measures, which barred Empire State judges from setting bail on misdemeanors and some felonies.

Despite conflicting evidence, law-enforcement officials have complained that the changes have handcuffed the criminal-justice system, allowing repeat offenders to continue to walk the streets to commit new crimes.

Hochul’s office replied to King’s comments in an e-mail Sunday.

“Governor Hochul’s top priority is to keep New Yorkers safe, which is why she worked with the legislature earlier this year to crack down on gun crimes and repeat offenders and further expand the types of cases where judges have the discretion to set bail,” the statement said. 

“The governor continues to work every day with law enforcement and local officials to improve the criminal-justice system, combat violence and strengthen public safety across New York state,” it said.