PolitiFact marks DeSantis attacks on Bragg ‘true,’ majority of felonies downgraded
MANHATTAN, N.Y. (FLV) – PolitiFact noted a recent claim from Gov. Ron DeSantis on Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg downgrading a majority of felonies to misdemeanors is “true.“
They referenced a quote from DeSantis on March 20 when the governor initially defended former President Donald Trump on a potential indictment from Bragg.
“[Bragg] has downgraded over 50% of the felonies to misdemeanors,” DeSantis said last month.
“He says he doesn’t want to even have jail time for the vast, vast majority of crimes.”
PolitiFact cited data from the district attorney’s website, which showed that 52% of felony cases were downgraded to a misdemeanor in 2022.
In their fact, however, PolitiFact added that downgrading felonies to misdemeanors is “common elsewhere, too,” in reference to DeSantis’ criticisms of the Democrat district attorney who recently indicted Trump in connection to purported hush money payments to a porn star and playboy model.
Trump plead not guilty to felony counts of falsifying business records.
“The rates of downgrading felonies to misdemeanors were higher in other New York City boroughs,” they said. “Similar state data compiled by the Data Collaborative for Justice at John Jay College of Criminal Justice show that in 2021, the most recent year available, three other boroughs had higher rates: 56% in the Bronx, 57% in Brooklyn, and 59% in Queens.”
“A prosecutor’s decision to downgrade or upgrade a charge after an arrest is common, because they have more complete information than a police officer does at the time of an arrest, said Jullian Harris-Calvin, director for Greater Justice New York, part of the Vera Institute of Justice, which calls for an end to mass incarceration.”
“Other experts agreed,” PolitiFact added.
Bryan Griffin, press secretary for DeSantis, mocked the fact check for feeling “compelled to note it’s simply ‘common practice'” to downgrade the felonies.
“Yes, @GovRonDeSantis was correct. But @PolitiFact feels compelled to note it’s simply ‘common practice’ to refuse to hold criminals accountable in NY,” Griffin said.
“PolitiFact’s rulings start to make sense when you realize it is a political disinformation organization for Democrats,” Mark Hemingway from RealClearInvestigations said.
