Alvin Bragg accused of discriminating against straight white men in office's hiring practices



The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, led by Soros-backed DA Alvin Bragg, has been accused of unlawfully discriminating against straight white men in its hiring practices.

On Tuesday, America First Legal, a group established by several surrogates of former President Donald Trump, filed a complaint with the Attorney Grievance Committee of the First Judicial Department in New York against Bragg and his office. The complaint points out several DEI-related preferences listed on the office's website, preferences that the AFL calls "unlawful discrimination" that amount to legal "misconduct."

'No American workplace is permitted to discriminate based on race or sex. That is illegal.'

A quick glance at the DA's website seems to support the AFL's accusations. A page discussing the onboarding of up-and-coming attorneys at the office mentions the word "diverse" four times, beginning with the banner at the top: "We are committed to the recruitment, hiring, retention, and promotion of a diverse staff" (emphasis added).

The online application for the office likewise reflects this emphasis on diversity. Not only does it force applicants to identify their race and "gender" — offering as options "a gender not listed" and "non-binary" — but it also gives applicants the chance to disclose personal LGBT-related identities without giving heterosexuals equal opportunity.

Even with this decidedly woke application, Bragg's office insists that it is "an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination."

As the AFL noted, this assertion is a prima facie contradiction. "Both cannot be true," the AFL said, calling this apparent race-, sex-, and sexual-orientation-based discrimination "unlawful, deeply harmful, immoral."

"No American workplace is permitted to discriminate based on race or sex. That is illegal," AFL Vice President Dan Epstein said in a statement.

"We should expect that those who carry out law enforcement are held to the highest legal compliance standards. Under Alvin Bragg’s leadership, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office appears to have fallen below those high standards and unlawfully discriminated against employment applicants to his office. Lawyers are guardians of the Constitution and the law; compliance with the highest ethical standards is necessary to serve those who need access to justice with fidelity."

Bragg's office did not respond to the Daily Mail's request for comment. The grievance committee declined to comment, citing an ongoing investigation and complaint review process.

Last month, Bragg's office secured 34 felony convictions against Trump.

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Most Americans Don’t Think Trump Acted Illegally In Alvin Bragg Case: POLL

'It’s very obvious political persecution'

Former DA who declined to charge Trump raises critical question about Alvin Bragg's case: 'Never been done'



Former Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance Jr. provided insight into the criminal case against Donald Trump on Sunday, declining to say it is "airtight."

What is the background?

Last Thursday, Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg confirmed that a grand jury indicted Trump.

The case centers on a hush-money payment. Trump allegedly used attorney Michael Cohen to siphon money to Stormy Daniels, then recorded those payments as legal fees, thus allegedly committing the crime of falsifying business records.

But the case is particularly convoluted because Bragg is purportedly attempting to elevate misdemeanor falsifying business records charges to a Class E felony by arguing the crime occurred in the commission of another crime. It's not yet clear what the second crime is, but it is suspected that Bragg will argue the Daniels payment functioned as a campaign donation — on the basis that Trump's campaign benefited from it — thus violating campaign finance laws.

What did Vance say?

Speaking on NBC's "Meet the Press," Vance admitted he is unsure whether the case is "airtight," and he explained why declined to pursue the case several years ago.

"Did your office conclude that a stand-alone felony charge for these hush-money payments wasn't worth it because of so many of the uncertainties around the legal theory?" host Chuck Todd asked.

At first, Vance reiterated that federal attorneys in the Southern District of New York had asked his office to "stand down." Then he implied that his office did not pursue a felony case against Trump because such a case is unprecedented — not just against a former president, but against anyone.

"I don't want to get into our deliberations. But we have historically filed cases of false documentation, elevating them to felonies, when federal statutes were involved," Vance began.

"It's never been done, that I know of, with regard to federal election law, which is quite a, you know, specific area of law," he added.

Full fmr. Manhattan DA: ‘I guarantee’ the court wants to move ‘quickly’ following Trump indictment youtu.be

According to Vance, the real question is not why his office did not pursue the case, "but why this district attorney is doing it."

The final observation points to a larger problem in the case: Vance and the federal government declined to prosecute it, so what new evidence has Bragg's office uncovered — if any at all — that makes the case suddenly viable?

If Bragg cannot prove the second crime, then the case will likely be tossed on statute of limitation grounds because the statute of limitations for the falsifying business records charge is two years. Whether or not Bragg would even clear the statute of limitations hurdle for the felony charge — five years — is highly debatable.

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'I hope he's watching': Widow of slain NYPD officer slams Manhattan DA in emotional eulogy, says, 'We are not safe any more'



The grieving widow of a slain New York City Police Department officer called out Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg over his soft-on-crime approach during her husband's eulogy Thursday.

What happened?

Speaking in front of a packed crowd at St. Patrick's Cathedral gathered for Jason Rivera's funeral service, Dominique Luzuriaga memorialized her hero husband before rebuking the city prosecutor for failing to protect him and others who wear the uniform.

"The system continues to fail us. We are not safe any more, not even the members of the service," she said, according to the New York Daily News. "I know you were tired of these new laws, especially the ones from the new DA. I hope he’s watching you speak through me right now."

The cathedral, whichad remained quiet out of respect for the fallen officer, erupted in loud applause in response to her strong words.

WATCH: Widow of @NYPDnews officer Jason Rivera slams @ManhattanDA though not by name: "We are not safe anymore. Not even the members of the service. I know you were tired of these laws, especially the ones from the new DA. I hope he's watching you speak through me right now."pic.twitter.com/zHPQ1scMgy
— Jackson Richman (@Jackson Richman) 1643386230

“I’m sure all of our blue family is tired too,” she added. “But I promise, we promise, that your death won’t be in vain.”

What's the background?

Rivera, 22, and his partner Officer Wilbert Mora, 27, were ambushed while responding to a domestic violence incident in Harlem last Friday.

They had received a call from 47-year-old Lashawn McNeil's mother, who told officers she was in a dispute with her son. Then, when they entered the house, McNeil opened fire on the two officers.

Rivera was pronounced dead at the scene. Mora was rushed to the hospital, where he died three days later.

Tonight, we mourn the loss of a hero officer \u2014 a son, husband, and friend. Only 22 years old, Police Officer Jason Rivera was murdered in the line of duty. We vow to #NeverForget Jason as his fellow Finest vow to honor his tremendous legacy of service & the ultimate sacrifice.pic.twitter.com/5zsx45XiM4
— NYPD NEWS (@NYPD NEWS) 1642830430

Mora and Rivera “were dedicated, courageous and compassionate officers, loved by many. The pain their families feel is immeasurable. We pray for them; we will be strong for them,” NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell said in a statement.

At his funeral service, Rivera was posthumously promoted to detective first grade.

What else?

The officers' tragic deaths have renewed calls for Bragg's ouster. The district attorney was already under fire for his controversial “day one” memo, which directed his office to take a more lenient approach on prosecutions by dropping certain misdemeanor cases and not seeking pretrial detention except for in the most violent of cases.

On Wednesday, Democratic New York Gov. Kathy Hochul put Bragg on notice, warning him she's prepared to use her authority to force him to change his policies or remove him from office.

"I have options, but I will be monitoring the situation very closely," Hochul told the New York Post.

Bragg has since changed his tune on the law enforcement and criminal justice reforms.

In a statement following Rivera's funeral, Bragg said he is "grieving and praying for Detective Rivera and Officer Mora today and every day, and my thoughts are with their families and the NYPD."

“Violence against police officers will never be tolerated,” he added. “My office will vigorously prosecute cases of violence against police and work to prevent senseless acts like this from ever happening again.”

Armed robbery charges dropped against knife-wielding suspect under far-left Manhattan DA



Fears that violent criminals would escape justice in New York City are being realized as a wanted ex-convict charged with armed robbery had his charges downgraded on the orders of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.

The New York Post reported that career criminal William Rolon, 43, allegedly stole more than $2,000 worth of merchandise and threatened a drug store worker with a knife, only to have his robbery charges dropped by the Manhattan DA's office and replaced with two counts of petit larceny and other low-level offenses, including second-degree menacing.

The lesser charges are the result of a war on law enforcement being waged by Bragg, the newly elected district attorney, who released a "Day One" memo that outlined his radical progressive vision for keeping criminals out of jail.

According to the Post, Rolon is accused of filling a plastic trash bag with cold medicine and other items inside a Duane Reade store on the Lower East Side around 12:20 a.m. Saturday.

When Rolon attempted to leave the store at 100 Delancey St. without paying for the merchandise, he was confronted by a female manager, who says he was brandishing a pocketknife, the Post reports.

"F*** you, I'm taking everything," Rolon allegedly told her.

Rolon and an unidentified accomplice then headed west with the stolen merchandise, which was worth $2,209, according to the Post.

Court documents claim Rolon returned to the store around 5:30 p.m. the same day and allegedly stole more cold medicine, some paper towels, and two other items.

Another manager recognized Rolon from surveillance video of the first incident and contacted police, leading to his arrest.

Rolon was initially charged with first-degree robbery and criminal possession of a weapon, according to the Post. But after arraignment at Manhattan Criminal Court early Sunday morning, the Manhattan DA's office had the charges reduced to petit larceny.

The reduced charges are in step with Bragg's memo, which directed certain robberies of businesses to be prosecuted as petit larceny if no victim is wounded and there is no "genuine risk of physical harm."

According to the Post, the manager who was allegedly threatened with a knife told police she was afraid for her life and did not want to return to work after the incident. The criminal complaint against Rolon reportedly states that he allegedly "placed her in fear of physical injury, serious physical injury or death."

Former New York prosecutors and law enforcement officials slammed the new district attorney's policies.

“Bragg’s policies are an affront to every law-abiding citizen in New York City,” former Manhattan assistant district attorney Daniel Ollen, who now practices as a defense lawyer, said.

“Violent criminals now have carte blanche to re-offend, knowing full well that they will never again sniff the inside of a jail cell," he said. “If you thought things couldn’t get any worse, think again. God help us.”

Bragg "just ignored the victim,” Manhattan defense lawyer Michael Discioarro, a former Bronx prosecutor, said. "He’s telling the victim: You don’t deserve protection from the state.”

He added, “If this is how we’re going to prosecute crime — by ignoring crime — we’re in trouble.”

Horowitz: Manhattan DA to downgrade armed robbery to misdemeanor amid growing crime wave



Last year, New York City experienced its worst crime wave in recent memory. Naturally, the response of the Soros DA in Manhattan was to make a New Year’s resolution to keep even more criminals out of jail.

As the NYPD is patrolling businesses to enforce “vaccine passport” mandates and drag 5-year-olds out of restaurants, don’t think that real criminals will get the same attention from law enforcement. Alvin Bragg, the newly elected Manhattan district attorney, sent out a memo to his staff on Monday directing prosecutors to not seek prison time for most criminals.

“This rule may be excepted only in extraordinary circumstances based on a holistic analysis of the facts, criminal history, victim’s input (particularly in cases of violence or trauma), and any other information available,” wrote Bragg in the memo obtained by the New York Post.

So, this is just for low-level crimes, right? Wrong! Bragg ordered prosecutors to charge armed robbers with petty larceny, which would have the effect of downgrading the maximum prison time from 25 years to one year. He also abolished life in prison without parole, even for the worst murderers and sex offenders. He further seeks to dramatically downgrade charges for certain residential burglars, drug dealers, and convicted criminals caught with weapons.

In other words, he is stepping on the gas pedal of every policy that has turned around the Giuliani miracle and has made many parts of Manhattan, including the subways, dangerous for the first time in a generation. This decision comes at a time when crimes of murder, rape, robbery, felony assault, burglary, grand larceny, and grand larceny auto in New York rose above 100,000 incidents for the first time since 2016. According to NYPD data, felony assaults rose nearly 10% in 2021 – to the highest level since 2001. Car thefts were at the highest level since 2010, and incidents of gun violence were up 101% since 2019.

Many of these people who steal or maim on the streets in broad daylight that we have seen all too often in viral videos put out by the NYPD are mentally ill or homeless. Yet Bragg’s memo intimidates assistant district attorneys into not pursuing those criminals. “ADA’s should use their judgment and experience to evaluate the person arrested, and identify people: who suffer from mental illness; who are unhoused; who commit crimes of poverty; or who suffer from substance use disorders,” wrote Bragg. In other words, they shouldn’t prosecute them.

The reality is that the criminally insane are often the most dangerous and violent people who commit indiscriminate, heinous crimes on the streets. Liberals want to have it both ways. On the one hand, they treat them leniently because of their mental illness, but on the other hand they refuse to confine them in mental hospitals in lieu of prison. Absent a mandatory system of imprisonment or confinement in a mental hospital, these people will be free to harm others. Politicians in states like New York and California want them released on the streets to commit more crimes that they supposedly just can’t help committing. The fact that they have a mental illness is no solace to victims of crime and most certainly doesn’t make them less of a public safety concern.

There have been numerous examples of mentally ill homeless individuals engaging in dangerous crimes on subways, including attempted rape in broad daylight. They almost always have a litany of prior arrests within a few years, but never serve time. In 2020, there was a viral video showing Rashid Brimmage, a man with 103 prior arrests who was a convicted sex offender, striking a 92-year-old Bronx woman to the ground. He is mentally ill and lived in a homeless shelter but was allowed to remain on the streets for years.

These people pose an even greater public safety threat than other criminals who are more targeted in their crimes. The fact that they “can’t help but commit crimes” makes it an even greater imperative to get them off the streets.

The other poignant aspect of this memo is that it comes at a time when the NYPD is patrolling restaurants and demanding that people show their papers in scenes reminiscent of a very dark time. Violent career criminals are being treated with compassion as 5-year-olds are being dragged out of restaurants for not having a Pfizer passport. At some point, New York cops need to engage in some introspection about their own purpose. If they are going to be handcuffed in going after real criminals, why do they exhibit a sudden alacrity to enforce immoral and inhumane discriminatory acts against ordinary citizens?