After the Trump administration labeled New York City as a jurisdiction that’s “permitting anarchy” Monday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the state would sue the federal government if it used that classification as justification to cut funding to the five boroughs.
The warning comes after President Trump warned in early September that federal funding could be withheld from New York City due to a spike in crime, particularly shootings.
U.S. Attorney General William Barr, on Monday, appeared to follow through on that threat. While classifying New York City as a jurisdiction that’s permitted “anarchy, violence, and destruction,” Barr said the federal government should cut funds for the five boroughs.
“We cannot allow federal tax dollars to be wasted when the safety of the citizenry hangs in the balance,” Barr said.
“It is my hope that the cities identified by the Department of Justice today will reverse course and become serious about performing the basic function of government and start protecting their own citizens.”
The announcement from Barr on Monday appeared to be targeted at decisions from officials in New York City and the state to restructure and limit members of law enforcement.
Among the criteria listed by the Department of Justice Monday were actions taken by the jurisdiction, in this case New York City, to prevent members of law enforcement from “intervening to restore order amid widespread or sustained violence or destruction.”
After the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Democrats in the state Legislature passed a series of bills to limit how members of law enforcement can confront a situation, and provide more transparency over those officers.
Chokeholds were formally banned, for example, and the public can now request the past disciplinary records of officers.
Police unions, and members of law enforcement, have harshly criticized those reforms. Pat Lynch, the president of the New York City Police Benevolent Association, even delivered brief remarks at the Republican National Convention in support of President Trump.
Lynch — and others — have said those changes would impact the ability of officers to keep the public safe at a time when crime is on the rise. Shootings in New York City more than doubled in August compared to the same time last year, according to the NYPD.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio called the Trump administration’s claims of anarchy in the city “insulting” during a briefing with the press Monday.
“It is not based in the facts in the least,” de Blasio said. “It’s insulting to the people of New York City, and his effort to withhold our funding is unconstitutional.”
Cuomo, during a conference call with reporters, confirmed that the New York Attorney General’s Office would move forward with a lawsuit against the federal government if it moved forward with plans to cut funding for New York City.
It wouldn’t be the first time that both the state and the city intended to challenge the Trump administration in court over federal funding to the five boroughs.
The Trump administration, in recent years, also tried to withhold certain law enforcement grants, called Byrne JAG grants, from New York City. The federal government had argued that, because New York City identified as a ‘sanctuary city,’ it wasn’t eligible for the funding.
Both New York City and New York state brought the Trump administration to court over the decision and were ultimately able to force the federal government to deliver that funding.
Cuomo predicted that the Trump administration would meet the same fate if it decided to cut federal funding to New York City this time around.
“Just like sanctuary cities when he did it a few years ago and lost, if they actually do this, we will challenge it legally, and he will lose once again because we have seen this play before,” Cuomo said.
