A falling out amongst comrades, Cuomo and de Blasio, leaves NY cold
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and New York City Mayor, Bill de Blasio, should be comrades-in-arms. After going through the COVID crisis, which hit New York especially hard, one would expect the battle scars would bind them.
But instead, the ages-old rivalry between governor and mayor has heated up as New York city stumbles through rioting surrounding the George Floyd protests.
Cuomo, as governor, won’t call on the National Guard to restore order as looting sweeps through the city and police are under siege.
“Cuomo has said that there are 13,000 National Guard troops on standby throughout the state and are available to local mayors,” reports the New York Post, “but has appeared reluctant to deploy them, saying during his daily briefing Tuesday that ‘you’d have to displace the mayor.’”
But de Blasio says that the situation demands more than just a police presence. And in absence of the National Guard the mayor has been left to pleading with community leaders to help quell the violence.
“Members of the clergy, come out now. I’m calling you out. Civic leaders, block associations, come out now and stand up for peace, stand up for anyone who would do looting, stand up against anyone who would attack a police officer,” the mayor said.
Meantime, Donald Trump blasted both the governor and the mayor, tweeting:
New York’s Finest are not being allowed to perform their MAGIC but regardless, and with the momentum that the Radical Left and others have been allowed to build, they will need additional help. NYC is totally out of control. @NYCMayor & @NYGovCuomo
MUST PUT DOWN RIOTING NOW!
The city imposed a curfew of 8 p.m. on Tuesday for all but essential workers.
New York City will have a curfew in effect citywide through the morning of Monday, June 8. It will be from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. every night. Essential workers will still be allowed to travel to and from work during the curfew.
Police boosters have been offended by Cuomo’s characterization of the NYC force as ineffectual and weak.
Former New York City Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik called out Cuomo on Fox News saying, “Well, if the NYPD was not doing their job, and the mayor is not doing his job, New York City is burning. Where are you? Where is the New York state police?”
But Kerik didn’t confine his criticisms to just Cuomo.
“This isn’t a competition for criticism. We already know that de Blasio is incompetent, in my opinion.”
In the past de Blasio has earned the ire of New York’s finest because he’s been highly critical policing in the city.
The Sergeants Benevolent Association of New York has been highly critical of de Blasio throughout his administration.
“Mayor DeBlasio [sic], the members of the NYPD are declaring war on you!,” says a tweet in response to two officers who were murdered in February. “We do not respect you, DO NOT visit us in hospitals. You sold the NYPD to the vile creatures, the 1% who hate cops but vote for you. NYPD cops have been assassinated because of you. This isn’t over, Game on!”
New York city citizens, caught between Cuomo and de Blasio, are begging for relief.
“I mean, I lived through 9/11,” said Elliot Kurland, owner of a camera store, which was looted on Sunday. “I saw the National Guard all over. They saved us from more bad things happening.”
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