Cuomo To Sheriffs Over Private Gathering Limit: Don’t Call Yourself Law Enforcement

Governor Cuomo addressed upstate sheriffs who say they won't enforce his executive order limiting the number of people that can gather at a private residence during a coronavirus briefing on Wednesday.

While not calling out any officials by name went to so far as to say those who don't enforce laws they 'don't agree with', aren't real members of law enforcement, he said.

'I don't believe as a law enforcement officer you have a right to pick and choose which laws you enforce....an EO [executive order] is law.

The governor then raised his hand and pretending to be a law enforcement officer sworn to enforce the laws and constitution of the state: 'Well I don't believe in that law and therefore I won't enforce it...That is frankly frightening to me as an individual, frightening to democracy, it's arrogant and it violates your constitutional duty.''

Again, seeming to pretend to take on the role of law enforcement, Cuomo continued: 'I didn't say I swear to uphold the laws that I agree with, I didn't say that...No, It doesn't matter what my opinion is, I'm a law enforcement officer - I enforce the laws.'

Then the governor dug deeper: 'I don't get to pick and choose. Well, I'm not going to enforce domestic violence law because I think that's a family affair. They had a family fight, and I don't think it's the state's right to come in and say: 'You shouldn't treat your wife that way, you shouldn't treat your husband that way.'

'There's a law - I enforce the law', Cuomo said, 'or don't call yourself a law enforcement officer.'

'I mean nobody is saying knock on doors and count heads, right? But, you come across a gathering for one reason or another and there's 20 people there, you say: 'This can't happen,' he said. 'If you see it, stop it. Which is different than saying I refuse that law because I don't agree with it. That, I believe, violates that persons constitutional oath...I don't want a law enforcement officer who says I'm only enforcement the laws that I like or that I believe should be enforced.'

Earlier this week, several upstate sheriff's said they would not enforce Cuomo's executive order limiting private gathering to ten, saying they did not believe his order was constitutional.

-----------------------------------------------