Progressives’ Criminal Arrogance

‘Thank you for having me here to testify about public safety in New York state,” Albany DA David Soares intended to kick off his statement to the state Senate this month — but he never got to, as an aide called at 10 p.m. the night before to disinvite him.

It’s beyond obvious that the lefties who call the shots didn’t want a black progressive detailing to their faces how recent criminal-justice reforms “have been extremely detrimental to public safety,” with “their most devastating impact on black and brown communities.”

After all, after the (white) head of the state DAs Association read the same text, progressives simply denounced it as “offensive,” “pejorative” and “condescending” (Sen. Jamaal Bailey, D-Bx) and “political,” “nonfactual” and not “appropriate” (Sen. Zellnor Myrie, D-B’klyn).

All lies: Soares’ words couldn’t have been more fact-based. What made them “offensive” was simply that the left doesn’t want to admit the harm it has inflicted. The Post has now published his testimony, so you can judge for yourself.

Even when we wrote last year that lawmakers treat Soares as “an invisible man,” we never expected them to make it this obvious.

Not that he’s the only black leader they do their best to silence or ignore, pretending it’s “just The Post.” Mayor Adams has been as clear as can be on the need for fixes; even the Rev. Al Sharpton has spoken up.

The Legislature’s leaders, at this point, are basically denying the unmistakable truth by sticking their fingers in their ears and shouting I can’t hear you.

But the public can.

And regular New Yorkers see the results in their neighborhoods: Chronic offenders back on the streets after every arrest; stores locking up everything if they don’t just close; teens sliding into lives of crime; rising death and shooting tolls (especially among other teens) — crime and chaos on the rise everywhere.

Yet the lawmakers only get more arrogant, resorting to such stupid stunts as disinviting Soares. When they finally fall, they’ll fall hard, just as they deserve to.