Governor Gavin Newsom (D-CA) said Wednesday on ABC’s “The View” that Fox News was playing politics by covering the recent increase of smash-and-grab robberies plaguing California.
Co-host Joy Behar said, “California is seeing a wave of smash-and-grab robberies, where mobs ransack retail stores. Your own business has been robbed multiple times in the past year. You have a couple of wine stores, I understand. Critics in law enforcement blame this on your lax bail and theft policies emboldening criminals. Here is your chance to tell us.”
Newsom said, “They couldn’t even identify what they were referring to as it relates to those policies, so that is a lot of rhetoric. That said, it’s unacceptable what is happening. Those images are unacceptable. I can give you facts, and I’m happy to share them, but there are feelings as well. Feelings matter more. Do I feel safe? Do I feel protected? When you see these flash mobs — ”
Behar said, “They’re organized, aren’t they?”
Newsom said, “Very organized. I just want to note we’re calling it out. There’s no excuse. We don’t condone that kind of behavior. We want to arrest and prosecute folks, and we are doing that. We just announced a six-year sentence for an organized ring just last week. There have been prosecutions, and there have been arrests in L.A. and San Francisco. We recognize that we have to do more and better. But it’s not unique to California. You have seen it in Chicago and Minnesota. This is not unique. Property crime has gone up in many, many states, red, not just blue states. Violent crime and property crime, for example is higher in Texas than in California, I don’t see that on Fox News.”
Behar said, “You won’t see that there.”
Newsom said, “There is politics being played here.”
Follow Pam Key on Twitter @pamkeyNEN
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