NY's failed criminal-justice reforms have just claimed two more victims — when will the madness end?
In 2023, Enoe found himself fighting for his life after Brito attacked him.
The employee fought back by fatally stabbing his attacker with a pocket knife.
Advertisement
Now Enoe's on trial for manslaughter, facing up to 25 years in prison. And Brito is dead.
It's tragic for both men.
And absolutely nuts.
Advertisement
And it's thanks, mostly, to New York's refusal to slap meaningful consequences on shoplifters like Brito and get them off the streets — and to pro-criminal district attorneys, like Manhattan's Alvin Bragg, who target victims while bending over backward to let perps slide.
Brito, after all, had been nabbed more than a dozen times and was a known drugstore thief in the area. He'd had several other run-ins with Enoe.
Before the fight, Brito allegedly announced his intention to steal, bragging, 'You can't f–king stop me.'
Why should any worker be put in a situation like that?
Advertisement
But such stories have become commonplace since Albany passed 'reforms' like cashless bail, letting perps go free just minutes after their arrests.
Charging Enoe with manslaughter only makes it all the worse.
And this is not the first time Bragg has dragged victims and do-gooders into court:
Advertisement
He went after former Marine Daniel Penny, who accidentally killed Jordan Neely while trying to subdue him after Neely threatened riders on a subway train in 2023.
Bragg also charged Manhattan deli clerk Jose Alba with murder for stabbing to death an ex-con who attacked him over a bag of chips.
In 2022, Alba's prosecution sparked support for 'Stand Your Ground' legislation, which would amend state law that requires New Yorkers to retreat before resorting to deadly force.
At the time, GOP gubernatorial candidate Lee Zeldin expressed support for the measure, telling The Post, '[If] someone comes in, forces you to defend yourself, the government shouldn't be forcing you to run away.' Amen.
Predictably, opposition by progressives lawmakers killed the bill.
Now New Yorkers are stuck with serial perps that repeatedly threaten public, and, as Brito taunted, nothing can be done about.
When will such madness end?
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fox News
7 minutes ago
- Fox News
Federal judge partially blocks law banning adults from helping minors get out-of-state abortions
A federal judge has blocked a portion of a Tennessee law that made it a crime for adults to help minors obtain out-of-state abortions without parental consent. Known for prohibiting "abortion trafficking of a minor," the law, enacted in 2024 by Republican Gov. Bill Lee, with support from the GOP-controlled legislature, criminalizes certain behavior toward pregnant, unemancipated minors by adults who are not their parents or legal guardians who help them receive abortions – even if the abortion is legal in another state. U.S. Circuit Judge Julia Gibbons, an appointee of former President George W. Bush, took issue with the law's "recruitment provision," which criminalizes giving information to minors about how to receive an abortion out of state or helping minors make travel plans. In a summary judgment Friday, Gibbons agreed the provision violates the First Amendment because it "prohibits speech encouraging lawful abortion while allowing speech discouraging lawful abortion." "That is impermissible viewpoint discrimination, which the First Amendment rarely tolerates – and does not tolerate here," Gibbons, who sits on the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, wrote. Gibbons permanently blocked enforcement of the provision banning encouraging a minor to seek a legal out-of-state abortion. "The recruitment provision targets speech because of its message – that abortion is safe, common and normal – and available in certain states – and is presumptively unconstitutional," the judge added. Gibbons noted that she was brought in to hear this lower court case after four judges from the Middle District of Tennessee recused themselves. If Tennessee appeals the decision, the case will advance to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. The Tennessee attorney general has already appealed a November decision by U.S. District Judge Aleta Trauger that temporarily blocked the recruitment provision. That appeal remains pending in the Sixth Circuit Court. The case was brought by Democratic state Rep. Aftyn Behn, who is a licensed social worker, and Rachel Welty, a Nashville attorney and pro-abortion advocate. "Because plaintiffs wish to speak about legal abortions and seek to help minors obtain legal, out-of-state abortions, their intended speech is protected under the First Amendment," Gibbons wrote. In response to the decision, Welty and Behn's lead counsel, Daniel A. Horwitz, said Gibbons' "thoughtful and well-reasoned opinion protects the right of all Tennesseans to share truthful information about abortion without fear that crusading prosecutors will try to punish them criminally for doing so." "It also affirms that the government has no authority to enact overbroad laws that criminalize pure speech based on the government's disagreement with a speaker's point of view," he added in a statement. "This is a major victory for Ms. Welty, Representative Behn, and all Tennesseans who believe that the government has no right to prosecute citizens for sharing truthful information." In the final decision, Gibbons, however, rejected the plaintiffs' claims that the law is too vague to be constitutional under the Due Process Clause. The judge sided with the state on that matter, saying the law is sufficiently specific in what behavior is forbidden. Gibbons did not block portions of the law criminalizing physically transporting minors across state lines to receive an abortion or harboring a minor for the purpose of helping them receive an abortion. "The court grants summary judgment for the plaintiffs on their free speech claims and enjoins enforcement of the recruiting prong of the statute," Gibbons wrote. "The statute is not, however, void for vagueness. The court therefore grants summary judgment for defendants on plaintiff's vagueness claim." The law does not apply to the minor's parent or legal guardian, licensed media providers acting in emergency situations, or law enforcement acting within official duties. Violations constitute a Class A Misdemeanor punishable by up to 11 months and 29 days in jail or a fine of up to $2,500. The statute provides that violators "may be held liable in a civil action for the wrongful death of an unborn child who was aborted." After the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, Tennessee enforced a "trigger law," effectively banning abortions in most cases, with limited exceptions.
Axios
8 minutes ago
- Axios
Energy Department ends Biden-awarded loan for huge Midwest power line
The Energy Department on Wednesday terminated a conditional $4.9 billion loan guarantee for a giant Midwest power line that conservatives criticized as a green energy project. Why it matters: The DOE's move on the Grain Belt Express throws up a substantial roadblock for the project and marks another Trump administration effort to undo its predecessor's actions on energy. The Energy Department's loan office that backs low-emissions technology announced the loan guarantee in late November after Donald Trump defeated President Biden. Driving the news:"After a thorough review of the project's financials, DOE found that the conditions necessary to issue the guarantee are unlikely to be met and it is not critical for the federal government to have a role in supporting this project," the department said in a statement. Invenergy, the company behind the Kansas-to-Indiana project, has touted the Grain Belt Express' ability to "unlock access to one of the strongest combined wind and solar energy resources in the United States." Zoom in: Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) had said on X this month that he secured a pledge from Energy Secretary Chris Wright that he would be "putting a stop to the Grain Belt Express green scam." "This is a HUGE win for Missouri landowners and taxpayers who should not have to fund these green energy scams," Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey said on X. Missouri GOP officials also have argued that the Grain Belt Express runs against the interests of farmers and other landowners and criticized the use of eminent domain. The other side: Invenergy has said the Grain Belt Express will enable grid reliability and meet growing demand. It has said Hawley is trying to kill a massive project that's "aligned with the President's energy dominance agenda." Context: Invenergy will seek to connect a gas-fired power plant it's developing to the line, a source close to the company exclusively told Axios earlier this week.
Politico
an hour ago
- Politico
A health care lobbying boom
Presented by Driving the Day MONEY TALKS — U.S. health care companies are pouring unprecedented sums of money into lobbying efforts as they vie for influence with the Trump administration and the GOP congressional majority, POLITICO's Amanda Chu reports. Newly released lobbying disclosure reports show the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, the trade group for brand-name drugmakers, spent $7.58 million on lobbying in the second quarter, the highest amount it's spent for the period, according to a POLITICO analysis. Leading members Bristol-Myers Squibb and Merck recorded their highest spending for any quarter. Insurance companies have also boosted spending. AHIP, the industry group, spent $4.05 million in the second quarter, its highest for the period on record. The American Hospital Association, meanwhile, reported $6.15 million, its second-highest for the period. The record spending comes as the Trump administration vies to overhaul the U.S. health care sector, posing the biggest threat to industry profits in years and signaling a broader shift in the relationship between corporate America and the traditionally pro-business Republican Party. President Donald Trump has approved nearly a $1 trillion cut in federal funding for Medicaid, threatened to impose tariffs on pharmaceuticals and demanded that drugmakers lower their prices. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has repeatedly questioned the safety of vaccines, rolling back Covid-19 guidance for healthy children and healthy pregnant women, and overhauling the CDC's advisory panel on vaccines. 'Historically, the business community has seen total Republican control of D.C. as a period of great opportunity for their legislative priorities,' said Jeffrey Kimbell, president of Kimbell & Associates, which represents large pharmaceutical companies. 'While that is still the case, the current administration and some Republicans in Congress also require some industries to continue their defensive posture.' Lobbying firms with ties to key lawmakers and administration officials are reaping the benefits as companies and trade groups seek inroads with Trump and Republicans in Congress. Tarplin, Downs & Young and Todd Strategy Group ranked among the top firms representing pharmaceutical companies in Washington in the second quarter, according to a POLITICO analysis of disclosures. Each firm has strong GOP connections. Linda Tarplin was HHS's liaison to Congress when George H.W. Bush was president. Dan Todd worked for then-Utah GOP Sen. Orrin Hatch on the Finance Committee. WELCOME TO WEDNESDAY PULSE. This is your friendly CMS reporter, Robert King, filling in for your regular hosts Sophie and Kelly today. I am still picking through thousands of pages of payment rules released last week. If you have any thoughts, or know something I missed, please share at rking@ or khooper@ and sgardner@ and follow along @rking_19, @kelhoops and @sophie_gardnerj. In Congress LAWMAKERS TEE OFF ON MA — After a bruising fight over Medicaid cuts in President Donald Trump's megabill, Republicans and Democrats joined together on a health issue they both agree on: reining in privately run Medicare Advantage plans. Members of the House Ways and Means Committee's oversight and health panels discussed during a hearing Tuesday the need for reforms to the popular program that enables older Americans to receive benefits like hearing and vision care outside of traditional Medicare. Lawmakers blasted the plans for high rates of care denials and overspending. 'We know of concerns about MA plans inflating a patient's level of sickness resulting in higher reimbursements for the plan at taxpayer expense,' said Chair Jason Smith (R-Mo.). 'An estimated $40 billion in 2025 alone.' Rep. Lloyd Doggett(D-Texas), ranking member of the panel's Health Subcommittee, said the plans have been overspending traditional Medicare despite the intention to do the opposite. 'Medicare Advantage was sold as a program to save taxpayer dollars and improve quality of care, but I have found that it is largely disadvantages,' he said. Why it matters: The hearing was a spark of bipartisan comity after months of acrimony surrounding the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which Congress passed earlier this month. The legislation included more than $1 trillion in cuts to health spending over the next decade, with most cuts coming from Medicaid. Medicare Advantage reforms have long engendered bipartisan support — but not enough to get them through Congress. Lawmakers are making another run. Doggett and Rep. Greg Murphy (R-N.C.), chair of the GOP Doctors Caucus, introduced legislation Monday that would mandate MA contract rates to providers. Some MA plans and hospitals have clashed nationwide over rates, with hospitals complaining about high levels of prior authorization requests. The Prompt and Fair Pay Act would mandate MA plans to reimburse all covered items and services for at least what Medicare pays, noting that some plans pay providers below that line. AROUND THE AGENCIES THEORY LIVES ON — In a new report on Covid-19's origins, Dr. Robert Kadlec, who was a top health official in the first Trump administration, says Chinese military researchers might have played a role in developing the virus, POLITICO's Carmen Paun reports Kadlec, who led the Covid-19 vaccine development program known as Operation Warp Speed, would be well-positioned to push for greater scrutiny of China if the Senate confirms him as assistant secretary of defense for nuclear, chemical and biological defense programs. The White House and congressional Republicans have embraced the hypothesis that a lab leak, and not a natural spillover of the virus from animals to humans, triggered the pandemic that killed millions of people globally. Zooming in: The report, published Monday by the Scowcroft Institute of International Affairs at Texas A&M University's Bush School of Government and Public Service, adds to the assertion by three U.S. intelligence agencies that the pandemic started as an accidental lab leak in Wuhan, China, where the first Covid cases were reported in late 2019. The agencies haven't alleged a Chinese military role. But, but, but: There's still no scientific consensus on how the pandemic began, with many virologists continuing to argue that the virus wasn't engineered and the global outbreak had a natural origin. A spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington pointed to a 2021 report by the Chinese government and World Health Organization-appointed experts that concluded that a lab leak origin was 'extremely unlikely.' The spokesperson called that conclusion 'the authoritative scientific conclusion drawn by the China-WHO joint expert group based on field visits to relevant laboratories in Wuhan and in-depth exchanges with relevant scientific researchers.' While Kadlec's report states that a natural spillover from animals to humans remains a possibility, he argues that's doubtful because the virus contains features from different coronavirus strains that don't exist in nature in close proximity. That makes it unlikely that the virus recombination would have happened naturally, he said. Kadlec's concerns about Covid's lingering effects on the brain conflict with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s push to deemphasize Covid vaccination. Given the potential for even mild Covid infections triggering long Covid in children and adults, Kadlec's report calls for efforts to screen and test children. The Trump administration suspended a program offering free tests in March. Public Safety ORGAN OVERSIGHT FAILURES — House lawmakers grilled leaders in the nation's organ procurement and donation system Tuesday after a federal report revealed that an organ procurement organization had operated on patients showing signs of life, POLITICO's Amanda Friedman reports. The House Energy and Commerce Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee's hearing followed a Health Resources and Services Administration investigation into the Kentucky-based OPO, Network for Hope. A report released in March found that the OPO had harvested organs from more than two dozen patients who might not have been definitively deceased, failed to reassess brain function and kept poor records of what happened. Subcommittee Chair John Joyce (R-Pa.) said the findings 'fractured the physician-patient relationship' and demanded accountability from the OPO and the United Network for Organ Sharing, the nonprofit that oversees the national transplant system. Dr. Raymond Lynch, who leads HRSA's Organ Transplant Branch, told lawmakers the issues aren't isolated: 'Unfortunately, it is not limited to [Network for Hope].' Other concerns: Members also raised concerns about systematic racism and whistleblower retaliation. UNOS CEO Maureen McBride faced questions about racial bias lawsuits, while Network for Hope CEO Barry Massa defended his group's procedures but acknowledged communication failures. What's next: HHS warned the OPO could be decertified on Monday. HRSA gave the group until July 28 to submit an initial remediation plan. Names in the News Vincent Bellomo is now an adviser at the Department of Health and Human Services. He most recently was a special assistant to the Secretary of HHS. WHAT WE'RE READING POLITICO's David Lim reports on the confirmation of Terry Cole to head the Drug Enforcement Administration. POLITICO's Katherine Tully-McManus reports that Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) will vote against the Senate's first batch of funding bills — signaling her party that she won't be cooperative in the fall funding fight. The New York Times's Nina Agrawal and Allison Jiang write about the changing face of lung cancer.
