Latest news with #Bragg
New York Post
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg scored comp tickets to 17 swanky galas last year, many by lefty groups
Soft-on-crime Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg was comped free tickets worth at least $9,400 combined to attend 17 swanky black tie-affairs and other galas last year — most of them put on by lefty groups doing business with the city, The Post has learned. Fourteen of the 17 freebies were dished out by nonprofits and other organizations with city contracts — and more than half ranged from $1,000 to nearly $5,000 in value, including some attended by music and sports industry celebs, according to a review of Bragg's yearly financial disclosure filings with the city's Conflicts of Interest Board. They included: The NYC Police Foundation's June 6 gala at the Intrepid Museum in Manhattan where tickets ran at least $2,500 each, and Giants Super Bowl MVP Phil Simms attended. A event also held June 6 for Brooklyn-based Center for Alternatives Sentencing and Employment Services, who provided Bragg tickets worth $50 to $999 in value. The three events Bragg attended that were not thrown by groups with city business included the April 10 'Keepers of the Dream' gala for Rev. Al Sharpton's civil rights group National Action Network, which holds plenty of clout with New York Democratic pols. The DA valued his ducats being worth anywhere from $1,000 to nearly $5,000. 4 Soft-on-crime Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg attended 17 swanky galas and other predominately $1,000-plus-per plate black tie-affairs last year with mostly groups pushing anti-jail and other lefty causes picking up the hefty tab, The Post has learned. WireImage Bragg — a Democrat who's has been slammed by critics since taking over as DA in 2022 for villainizing victims while going easy on suspects — reported his ticket totals were worth in the range of $9,400 to nearly $53,000. 4 Many of Bragg's comped tickets blur the lines of potential conflicts of interest because as Manhattan's lead prosecutor he should avoid schmoozing with groups pushing a woke social justice agenda, critics said. Bragg, seen here in the black suit, at an event. ManhattanDA/ X By comparison, Bronx DA Darcel Clark reported attending 10 events last year as gifts worth a combined $1,400 to nearly $13,000; Brooklyn DA Eric Gonzalez reported attending seven valued at combined $2,260; and Queens DA Melinda Katz and Staten Island DA Michael McMahon reported no such freebies. 4 Bragg, seen here shaking hands with Gov. Hochul, reported the value of the free tickets he was given to attend 17 galas last year as $9,400 to nearly $53,000 combined. ManhattanDA/ X Many of Bragg's comped tickets blur the lines of potential conflicts of interest because as Manhattan's lead prosecutor he should avoid schmoozing with groups pushing a woke social justice agenda, critics said. And Bragg 'should know better' than to 'accept complimentary gifts from businesses that do business with the city,' said Republican Maud Maron, a former Legal Aid Society attorney running against Bragg for Manhattan DA. 4 Bragg, fourth from left in the rear, poses with Gov. Hochul, actor Robert De Niro, Rev. Al Sharpton and other attendees at a National Action Network gala in 2023. Bragg did not report being comped to attend the event in his financial disclosure statements, but he did so for another NAN event in 2024. Alamy Stock Photo 'Of course he spends his free time rubbing shoulders with the moneyed elite whose luxury beliefs let them feel good about themselves while imposing steep costs on everyday New Yorkers who can't buy their way out of crime and grime,' she said. Bragg didn't list attending any events as free gifts in his previous financial disclosure statements for 2022 and 2023. 'Instead of focusing on making our streets safer, DA Bragg has focused on hobnobbing with special interests at glitzy events,' said Diana Florence, a veteran prosecutor running as an independent against him in November's general election. 'Since day one, he has pursued a social experiment that's made our city more hospitable for criminals and less safe for everyone else. Enough is enough.' Bragg spokesperson Danielle Filson said the DA 'fully disclosed his support and attended events for victims of domestic violence, NAN, the NYC Police Foundation … and other civic, charitable and community organizations whose work is relevant to the office – just like his predecessors and fellow DAs.' 'This is nothing but a pathetic attempt to smear Bragg's strong record of keeping Manhattan safe to score cheap political points,' she said of his critics.
New York Post
4 days ago
- Politics
- New York Post
Manhattan DA quietly pulls data dashboard amid slipping convictions
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's conviction rate has plunged every year since he took office — and he's hiding the ugly numbers from the public, The Post has learned. Just 35% of felony cases – 6,871 out of 19,602 crimes – ended in convictions last year, down from 37% in 2023, 40% in 2022, and 42% in 2021 before Bragg took office, according to data from the state Division of Criminal Justice. And those numbers are way down from 2019, the last year before New York's woke discovery reform laws took effect, when 64% of felonies resulted in convictions. Advertisement 4 Alvin Bragg's conviction rate has fallen every single year since he took office. Steven Hirsch Even when the Democratic prosecutor's office did win a conviction, 66% of the time it was a charge downgraded to a misdemeanor or even a non-criminal violation. And the number of felony cases Bragg simply refused to prosecute has nearly doubled since he took over – from 7% in 2022, to 8% in 2023 and 12% in 2024. Advertisement Bragg ordered prosecutors to stop seeking prison for hordes of crimes including armed robberies and drug dealing in his Day 1 memo. 'These outcomes are by design,' Rafael Mangual, legal fellow at the Manhattan Institute, told The Post. 'Bragg's philosophy is that incarceration should be the last resort. And he won't even pursue prison terms beyond 20 years, irrespective of the offense.' Mangual says Bragg fails to acknowledge that 'prison is where we get the public safety benefits – because individuals who are currently engaged in criminal conduct are going to be taken out of commission.' 4 Felony conviction rates have dropped and refusals to prosecute have risen since Bragg took office. NY Post Design Advertisement Misdemeanor convictions are tanking too, plummeting from 24% in 2022, to 21% in 2023 and 17% in 2024, records show. Bragg declined to prosecute 9% of misdemeanors in 2022, then 19% in 2023 and 31% in 2024, according to the data. But the public would never know any of this because the DA's office quietly yanked the data dashboard from its website. 4 The data page of the Manhattan DA's website has been 'under construction' since the fall. Advertisement It's been 'under construction' since October. 'They hid it knowing that DA Bragg is going to be up for re-election,' slammed outraged West Village resident Scott Evans. 'They're hiding behind the curtain of 'there's no data to talk about.' ' Evans says he's pressed Bragg's representatives about the missing page at community meetings – only to be told they don't want the public to 'misinterpret the data.' A spokesperson for Bragg told The Post he's working with the other boroughs' DA's on how to present the data, without adding more specifics. 4 A screenshot of the Manhattan DA's data page taken on September 25, before it was taken down. Scott Evans Before it was pulled, the DA's office touted its data dashboard as 'groundbreaking.' 'The Manhattan DA's office is committed to enhancing transparency in the criminal justice system,' the website boldly used to claim. 'Our data dashboard, the first in New York State, provides the public with comprehensive data about our office's prosecutions.' Case data was updated weekly. Advertisement 'This is exactly the wrong time to take that tool away from the public, as we come into an election year and they try to evaluate whether that's the direction they want the DA's office be moving,' said Mangual.
4 days ago
Digital design firm agrees to block 3D guns, following letter from Manhattan DA
One of the world's largest digital design platforms, Thingiverse, is taking new steps to block 3D-printed guns and gun parts after investigators in New York discovered an alarming number of design files for 3D-printed weapons available for download. Thingiverse began deploying automated technology to rapidly detect and remove digital files for 3D-printed firearms. "Thingiverse is committed to fostering a safe, welcoming, and collaborative environment for its global community. As part of this commitment, we regularly review and update our policies and procedures to help prevent the sharing of unlawful and harmful content, such as weapons and illegal materials, as outlined in our Acceptable Use Policy," the company said in a statement. "Following discussions with the Manhattan District Attorney's Office about concerns around untraceable firearms, we are taking additional steps to improve our content moderation efforts," they added. Untraceable ghost guns have become an increasing problem. One hundred and fifty ghost guns were seized in New York City in 2020. The number tripled in 2024. More recently, the ghost guns have evolved into weapons that can be made with nothing more than a 3D printer and a computer. A user can download a design file for Glock and print it within a few hours, concealed from public view. Earlier this year, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg sent letters to 3D printing companies asking them to help combat the spread of homemade guns, which he called a "growing threat." Luigi Mangione allegedly used a 3D-printed gun and silencer in the assassination-style killing of United Healthcare chief executive Brian Thompson. Mangione pleaded not guilty to federal charges. Bragg called on the companies to remove online blueprints, known as CAD files, that can be used to print firearms and gun parts without a background check. Before an individual can use a 3D printer, they need digital designs for the product they want to manufacture, commonly in the form of "STL", "3MF", or "OBJ" files. In the case of Thingiverse, one of the largest platforms in the digital design space, investigators from the district attorney's office and the NYPD found hundreds of CAD files for 3D-printed weapons, alarming both law enforcement and the company. As Thingiverse grew, its existing security measures could not keep up with weapons-related CAD files. Its engineers souped them up and a recent test found a significant number of those files no longer available, according to the district attorney's office. "Combating the proliferation of 3D-printed weapons remains a top priority for the Office, and I am grateful to Thingiverse for its willingness to collaborate on addressing this urgent issue," Bragg said. "It's good faith efforts to stop the spread of 3D-printed weapons into our communities should serve as a model for other 3D printing and digital design companies." This week, Bragg sent a similar letter to Bambu Lab, a China-based manufacturer of 3D printers. "The risk your product creates, as 3D printers are used more and more frequently in schools and homes, is unacceptable," Bragg wrote in the letter, a copy of which was obtained by ABC News. He called on Bambu Lab to adopt a security measure used by a different company that checks print jobs against a database of gun blueprints and uses AI to attempt to recognize the shapes of common gun parts. When a user opts into this program, it blocks prints of detected firearms. "In order to protect your customers and our residents, and to provide additional roadblocks in the acquisition of illicit firearms, I urge that you implement similar security features as a default standard for all users of your product," the DA wrote. "Additionally, it is paramount that you explicitly ban the creation of illegal weapons in your company's user agreement, as your user's agreement makes no mention of rules regarding the use of Bambu technology for weapons acquisition." The district attorney's office conceded the measure will not stop the proliferation of ghost guns, but the goal is to make it harder for people to find the designs to create them.
The Hill
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Hill
GOP's Bacon calls Hegseth's base name changes ‘stupid as hell'
Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) said Friday that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth looks 'stupid as hell' for trying to rename military bases and resurrect honorifics for Confederate officers by using other soldiers as eponymous stand-ins. The Pentagon announced in February that it would partially restore the names of two military sites that were given new monikers during the Biden administration by honoring decorated veterans of World Wars I and II. The North Carolina Army base that was renamed Fort Liberty in 2023 went back to being known as Fort Bragg in honor of World War II paratrooper Roland Bragg, instead of its original namesake, Confederate Gen. Braxton Bragg. Fort Benning in Georgia, which was renamed Fort Moore in 2023, is now named in honor of decorated World War I veteran Cpl. Fred Benning, instead of Confederate Gen. Henry Benning. 'I think they're trying to be too cute by Hegseth on this, saying, 'Well, it's Bragg, but it's a different Bragg,'' Bacon told USA Today. 'To me, it looks stupid as hell.' President Trump announced in June that additional military base names would be changed to honor soldiers who shared names with their former Confederate honorees. 'For a little breaking news, we are also going to be restoring the names,' Trump told a North Carolina crowd last month while marking the Army's 250th anniversary. 'We won a lot of battles out of those forts … and I'm superstitious, you know, I like to keep it going.' Congress approved legislation in 2021 to rename sites that had previously honored soldiers who fought against the U.S. in the Civil War. Bacon, who announced last month that he will not run for reelection next year, was one of two Republicans on the House Armed Services Committee who voted this week to block the Pentagon from using federal funds to rename military installations in honor of Confederate figures. 'Congress has made it clear where we stood,' Bacon told USA Today of the measure, adding the reverted names 'fly in the face of what Congress intended.' Bacon's office said he was traveling Friday and unable to respond to The Hill's request for comment. The Pentagon didn't immediately respond to The Hill's request for comment. Trump vowed during a North Carolina campaign stop last fall that his administration would revert Fort Liberty to Fort Bragg. Hegseth touted the renaming in a video posted to social media after signing the name-change memo earlier this year. 'That's right. Bragg is back,' he said in the video.
Newsweek
12-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
US Mom in Paris 'Struggling' After Giving Birth—Then Her Village Arrives
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. A postpartum woman was struggling with her new reality when she received the surprise of a lifetime. Her emotional Instagram reel has gone viral for capturing the moment Jay Bragg, who was living in Paris, was completely surprised by the unannounced arrival of her mother and sister who flew thousands of miles from the United States just to "hold her." Bragg, 36, spoke to Newsweek about the surprise and what the support meant to her. "POV: Postpartum. Alone. Struggling. Then your mom and sister show up at your door. Flew across the world just to hold you. This is what love looks like," Bragg captioned the video. "There's something sacred about the way Black women love. The way family becomes your village. The way they show up unannounced, arms full of love, and remind you that you don't have to do this alone." Jay Bragg in her Instagram reel after she was surprised by her mother and sister in Paris. Jay Bragg in her Instagram reel after she was surprised by her mother and sister in Paris. @ Bragg recounted the overwhelming moment to Newsweek. "That moment still plays in my mind," she said. "I was sitting on the couch, pumping and exhausted, trying to care for my newborn the best I could." Hearing the door open, she initially assumed it was her husband or the cleaner—but was faced with a beautiful, familiar surprise. "When I turned around and saw my mother and sister walk through the door with the biggest smiles on their faces, I lost it," Bragg said. "I broke down in tears instantly. It felt like my entire body let go of a weight I didn't even realize I was carrying. I couldn't believe they were standing in front of me." Bragg said she had given birth via C-section on June 16, and her mother and sister were initially supposed to arrive around June 19, but missed their flight. The lack of her mother's presence hit her hard. "I went home from the hospital on Friday, June 20, with my husband and baby girl. That same day I completely broke down on the floor. I cried like I was a child. I asked my husband to help me and I just kept crying for my mother," she said, highlighting the emotional and physical toll of postpartum recovery. Her husband, recognizing her deep need, told her to call them and be honest about how she was feeling. When her mother and sister finally arrived, "it was like everything I had been holding in finally came out," Bragg said. "I didn't need to pretend to be strong anymore." 'What it Means to Have a Village' Postpartum life, Bragg said, has been the most raw and vulnerable experience of her life. And the isolation of being in a new country without family made it even harder. "There's something about being in a new country with no family around that makes everything feel heavier," she said. "My body was literally craving the presence of my mother and sister. I needed something familiar. Their presence grounded me. It reminded me that I wasn't alone and that I didn't have to do this by myself. They cooked. They cleaned. They held me when I cried. They saw me." This powerful act of love was unconditional. She reflected on the unique way Black women show support. "Black women love in a way that speaks to your soul. It's intentional. It's powerful. And it's always rooted in showing up, even when they're exhausted or heartbroken themselves," she said. For Bragg, the moment ultimately underscored the vital role of a family village and community in early motherhood. "This moment was a reminder of what it means to have a village," she concluded. "It reminded me that I come from women who don't wait to be asked. They move when your spirit calls. That kind of love is what got me through those first weeks."
