Following the murder of NYPD officer Jonathan Diller this week there was a tremendous outpouring of both grief and anger, not just in the city but around the nation. This senseless loss of life at the hands of a career criminal once again focused people's attention on the revolving door of "justice" created by Democratic policies in large blue cities. That anger was on display when one of Gotham's largest police unions issued a stern warning to New York politicians who have supported soft-on-crime laws, particularly the New York City Council, to stay away from the memorial services planned in Officer Diller's honor. One politician apparently didn't receive the memo, however. That would be New York Governor Kathy Hochul. She showed up at the wake for Jonathan Diller yesterday, apparently prepared to deliver some remarks. It didn't go well. She had barely been at the funeral home on Long Island for ten minutes before a man in a black suit confronted her and an argument broke out. Shortly thereafter, she was seen leaving the facility.
From the NY Post:
Gov. Kathy Hochul left the wake for slain NYPD Officer Jonathan Diller Friday afternoon after a tense confrontation with another man in attendance.Hochul arrived at the Massapequa Funeral Home on Long Island for the second day of viewings around 1:45 p.m.She was only in the venue for about 10 minutes before she was spotted in a clash with a man in a black suit, video shows.
Here's the video of the encounter and Hochul's exit. The camera wasn't close enough to pick up the conversation, but you can see the man in the black suit gesturing as he scolds Hochul and then pointing at several officers and others in the audience. He then walks away and Hochul and her aide quickly turn and head for the parking lot. You can hear a small number of officers clapping as she leaves, but to their credit, they didn't turn the encounter into a huge scene that might have disrupted the services.
Perhaps Hochul felt obligated to at least attempt to attend the wake and pay her respects. She's a seasoned politician and she no doubt was aware of the horrible optics on Thursday when Joe Biden hobnobbed with celebrities and billionaires at a multimillion-dollar fundraiser only miles away from where Officer Diller's remains were being prepared for internment. But surely she must have known that she wouldn't be receiving a standing ovation.
Sergeants Benevolent Association president Vincent J. Vallelong, who penned the original warning for the Democratic politicians to stay away, said that their presence was more than just a distraction. He said that the authors of the policies that allowed Guy Rivera to freely roam the streets and take Officer Diller's life would be "a stain on the legacy of a true hero who made the ultimate sacrifice."
Hochul should have known better. The original letter may have targeted the members of the City Council who supported all of the defunding efforts, but one of the biggest factors leading to the murder was New York's supposed "bail reform" law. Hochul has had more than sufficient opportunities to move to strike that law down or at least reform it. She's even discussed the possibility at times, but virtually nothing has been done. Those laws are the reason that Guy Rivera was out on the streets months after being taken into custody on an illegal weapons charge. He and his partner obviously had no trouble obtaining new illegal firearms after their release, despite being prohibited by law. A chance encounter with Officer Jonathan Diller demonstrated that they would not hesitate to use those weapons. We've all seen what happened after that.
In this context, it is not at all unfair for the NYPD to proclaim that Kathy Hochul and the other authors of these soft-on-crime laws have blood on their hands. There is no reason that Guy Rivera should have been out on the streets. Had he not been, Officer Diller might have spent today on patrol, keeping the people of New York City safe. Or perhaps he would have been at home preparing to celebrate Easter with his beautiful, now-widowed wife and her fatherless baby son. There is no happy ending to this story, but perhaps we can take some consolation in the fact that generous contributions have paid off the mortgage on the Dillers' home and ensured that funds will be available to help support their child.
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