Watch: Sunny Hostin Claims National Guard Troops On NYC Subways Plays Into ‘Republican Narratives’

Sunny Hostin openly criticized Governor Kathy Hochul (D-NY) for her recent decision to deploy 750 National Guard soldiers onto New York City subways.

Hostin suggested that this move played into what she described as “Republican narratives” regarding rising violent crime in cities led by Democrats.

In a direct confrontation during Hochul’s appearance on ABC’s “The View,” co-host Hostin challenged the timing and necessity of the deployment. Hostin questioned why such measures were being taken now, particularly given the overall decrease in crime in the city since the onset of the pandemic.

“Governor, after a series of high profile crime on New York City subways, right, you deployed hundreds of state police and National Guard troops into the subway system,” Hostin began. “But since the pandemic, you have done a wonderful job, overall crime is down in the city, so my question to you is, why now? Why deploy now to the subway?”

Hostin questioned Hochul on how she’d respond to fellow Democrats who saw the move as “theatrics that play into Republican narratives that blue cities are poorly-run war zones.”

The Governor defended her decision, asserting her primary responsibility to safeguard New Yorkers.

“I’m not buying it, I’m not buying it,” Hochul replied, adding, “my job is to keep you people safe. Any way I can, I’m going to keep New Yorkers safe, and I’ll tell you who does show appreciation for it, the people out there on the streets.”

Hochul emphasized that this deployment, along with the additional 250 officers from the New York State Police and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police, aims to deter criminal activity in the subway.

“I inherited from my predecessor and the legislature before – they took the bail laws and watered them down and made it impossible for judges to look at the whole picture of the crime and the person, what they’re doing,” the Governor explained.

WATCH:

Hochul announced last week that both New York National Guard troops and New York State Police troopers would be dispatched to the subway system to enhance passenger safety. This decision came on the heels of a prior deployment of 1,000 New York City police officers tasked with patrolling subway lines and conducting security checks on passengers’ belongings, following a series of high-profile crimes including an attack on a conductor.

Hochul has announced a substantial allocation of $20 million towards the expansion of the Street Conditions Observation Units (SCOUT) team pilot program in collaboration with New York City, per ABC News.

This initiative involves individuals specifically trained to address severe cases of individuals experiencing mental health crises within the subway system. 

Hochul emphasized that the infusion of additional funds will facilitate the rapid scaling up of the pilot program, aiming to establish 10 teams by the conclusion of 2025.

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