The wake for Jonathan Diller, the NYPD officer who was shot and killed in the line of duty Monday, began on Thursday. While former President Donald Trump attended the wake in Massapequa, President Joe Biden was at Radio City Music Hall, where he headlined a Democratic fundraising event that also featured appearances by former Presidents Clinton and Obama.
The optics were appalling to many people, including US Representative Anthony D’Esposito (R-NY 4th), who was a New York City police officer for fourteen years. D’Esposito appeared on 710 WOR’s Len Berman and Michael Riedel in the Morning to explain why Biden’s choice to raise money rather than attend the wake upset him.
“Jonathan Diller was killed in the line of duty just a few nights ago, and he represents law enforcement throughout this country,” D’Esposito told Berman and Riedel. “When we have world leaders from this country who are choosing to raise money- literally, you know, especially with an escort, they could be in Massapequa within 45 minutes. But they’re choosing to raise money with elitists instead of paying respects to the men and women, and the family of Jonathan Diller, who gave his life, and I just- for me, especially as someone who has worn the uniform, I just, it’s hard to comprehend.”
Ultimately D’Esposito contends, as do many others, that bail reform changes have led to the conditions that contributed to Diller’s death in the line of duty. “Criminal justice reform has changed the way we investigate crimes, as well. It’s legitimately taken the handcuffs off our gun belt, and those handcuffs, that we’re supposed to use to put on criminals to keep them behind bars, New York State Democrats have used those handcuffs to handcuff law enforcement from doing their job, and we are seeing it in every place throughout this state.”
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