Claudia Tenney Calls on Cuomo to Halt Prisoner Releases

New Hartford, NY –Claudia Tenney, Republican candidate for NY-22, today called on Governor Andrew Cuomo to halt the release of violent offenders from prison. According to the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office, 11 individuals including two who are convicted sex offenders were released under an Executive Order from Cuomo. Similar releases are taking place statewide.

“Prisoners are being released without any regard to their criminal background, sometimes without even testing for coronavirus. Families in Upstate New York are already stressed due to the uncertainty of contracting the COVID-19 virus or the specter of losing their job. The last thing parents should have to worry about now is the safety of their children because the state is letting criminals onto our streets,” Tenney said. “This makes zero sense. Governor Cuomo: Please rescind this dangerous order.”

While these individuals are housed in county facilities, the Governor has complete control over the release of these offenders. County Sheriffs have no power to stop the release of these criminals onto the streets because violation of parole is the Governor’s jurisdiction.It also appears that transition services typically used before releasing these people into our communities are not being utilized by the state.

“Our communities have already been facing the prospect of criminals being released under Governor Cuomo’s bail reforms, and these same dangerous criminal justice reforms prevent communities from knowing exactly who the state is allowing out under the auspices of the Coronavirus,” Tenney added, “At the very least, there should be discretion allowed to the local law enforcement to determine the safety risk of each prisoner to our communities.I understand and agree with the need to take action to protect our law enforcement and corrections officers from the threat of infection: but these actions are, simply put, not how to do that. This only endangers the public and shifts the cost onto the local taxpayers who cannot afford it.”

Tenney recently called for the federal government to investigate New York’s dangerous bail reform law.