Gov. Hochul again took the credit for putting a career criminal who sucker punched a random man in the Bronx behind bars — pointing her finger at local district attorneys instead of New York’s disastrous bail reform laws.
“I need the district attorneys and the judges to do their jobs and when they don’t as the governor I’ll be there,” she said during remarks at the Hampton Synagogue in Westhampton Beach, NY.
The slap-down came the same week Van Phu Bui, a violent thug and sex offender, sucker punched Jesus Cortes in a random attack in the Bronx, leaving him fighting for his life.
New York State Gov. Kathy Hochul took the credit after calling for the arrest of Van Phu Bui. Michael Brochstein/SOPA Images/S
Van Phu Bui was seen on surveillance footage attacking a man in the Bronx.
NYPD charges of attempted murder were later downgraded by Bronx District attorney Darcel Clark, and Bui was released without bail.
Hochul, who is facing off against Republican challenger and Long Island Congressman Lee Zeldin in the governor’s race, moved to have Bui jailed after a public outcry — a decision she touted to during her Shabbat service remarks.
“Just yesterday you may have seen there was one person who judges let out, they undercharged him, when you knock someone down and they’re struggling for their life…that’s not a misdemeanor, that’s attempted murder and you should not be walking the streets of New York,” she said.
The Synagogue confab was not on Hochul’s public schedule and no official photos were allowed inside the temple. Hochul also discussed the economic concerns of the 40,000 remaining Holocaust survivors in New York and legislation she signed to promote Holocaust education in New York schools.
She won loud applause after declaring that she opposed “defunding the police,” and emphasizing the need to support law enforcement.
Hank Sheinkopf, a political operative who attended Saturday’s Shabbat service, said Hochul’s “great skill is that she walked into chaos and avoided getting blamed for it.”
Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark had downgraded Bui’s charges. Robert Miller
The Post’s Aug. 19 front page following the disturbing attack.
Sheinkopf added that any significant changes from the governor to the state’s infamous bail reform law would likely come only after the election.
In the meantime, “we’re going to see crime increase and she’s going to go after a few cases that are the most egregious,” he speculated.
