Four days before Election Day, Lester “Fairness Is Overrated” Holt, NBC Nightly News anchor, was desperate to keep Democrats afloat. He was so desperate that he decided to tell Americans to not trust their lying eyes and ears that the nationwide crime wave did not exist. He laughed at Republican campaign messages and suggested that fears of crime were not “fueled by reality” but “by videos,” as though they weren’t real. He also relies on a “civil Rights Attorney” that he did not disclose was a liberal activist.
Holt opened the segment with one his holier-than thou lectures, as is his way. “Voter concerns about crime are a hot topic as candidates work to fine tune their closing messages before Tuesday’s vote. He began by saying that the reality of American crime is not always as it seems.
Holt complained that “fear is on our ballot” at the top of the video report that he filed. Crime is now the center of campaigns across the nation,” Holt then played a soundbite about Lee Zeldin, a New York Congressman who was campaigning to crackdown on crime. Holt laughed, saying, “[Fear] fuelled, some argue not by reality, but by videos of rampant crime… and some disturbing headlines.”
Holt is claiming that viral videos of people looting shops, pushing people onto subway tracks, carjackings and drive-bys are fake. Is he saying they are fake? Zeldin was almost assassinated at an event, and his family was almost killed in their home. He knows firsthand how crime is a problem here in New York.
Holt introduced us to Alec Karakatsanis who he described to be a “civil right attorney.”
Karakatsanis also believes that jailing people after they have been convicted of a crime makes society less secure. He stated, “We know from a wealth a scientific evidence that keeping people locked up, even for a few hours after their arrest actually makes them less safe [sic],” without sharing any of the purported evidence.
As you probably guessed by now, Holt was not entirely forthcoming about who Karakatsanis actually was. He is the founder and executive director for Civil Rights Corps, a far-left-wing organization that advocates for harmful bail reform policies. Holt never explained why liberal San Francisco voted against progressive DA Chesa Bodin’s bail reform policies, even if it was a right-wing concern.
Holt sought out Bill Bratton, a former chief of police in big cities. Holt asked Bratton, “Is there any quantifiable connection between cashless bail & an increase in crime?” Bratton attempted to answer both sides of this prison fence. It all depends on who is advocating for which. Statistics can be used to tell one story, or another. It has made an impact on me personally. He said that it may take more time to define it.
Bratton also complained about the way crime was being discussed on the campaign trail. It has become a weapon in this election cycle, both locally and nationally. We have to deal with fear. He said that he senses that fear is rising.
He wasn’t always so sceptical about progressive bail reform policies. Bratton stated that “criminal justice reform DAs,” which he was speaking to NewsNation’s Chris Cuomo in October, are responsible for America’s most severe crime epidemic. Bratton noted that “crime in America today is politically created.” They’re not implementing what they propose and what they’re implementing.
Chris Cuomo is told by Bill Bratton, former NYPD chief, that the majority of America’s crime epidemic is attributable to “criminal justice reform DAs”.
He said, “The crime in America right at the moment is politically created.” “What they are proposing and what is being implemented is just not working.” pic.twitter.com/wF30ofJ7hY
— Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) October 11, 2022
Lester Holt’s attempt at lying about the nationwide crime wave was possible thanks to lucrative sponsorships from TD Ameritrade, Ensure and Ensure. Their contact information is linked.
Below is the transcript. Click “expand” for more information:
NBC Nightly News
November 4, 2022
7:19:29 Eastern
LESTER HOLT – As candidates work out their closing messages for Tuesday’s election, a topic that is gaining traction for many campaigns are voter concerns about crime. We discovered that the reality of American crime is not always as it seems.
[Cuts to Video]
HOLT: Fear is on the ballot tonight. Campaigns across the country are now dominated by crime
REP. LEE ZELDIN, R-NY (via gubernatorial election ad). Vote like you live and die by it.
HOLT: Some argue that reality is fuelled by videos of rampant lawlessness.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN : They broke glass display cases and filled their bags with jewelry before taking off.
HOLT: Some disturbing headlines.
ALEC KARAKATSANIS – I see a right-wing attempt to scare people into unwinding very small forms.
HOLT: Alec Karakatsanis, a civil rights attorney.
You know what? When I pick up a tabloid, and read about someone being pushed on the subway, or assaulted on a street corner, that’s real and scary.
KARAKATSANIS : Let me repeat that. We are at historic lows when you look at crime rates reported by the FBI and police. Since the 1990s, crime has been declining.
HOLT: Here’s the latest. The data for 2021 and 2022 are inconsistent and incomplete. A recent survey by the Major Cities Chiefs Association has shown a slight decline in murders in America’s largest cities this year, compared to last. Robbery and aggravated attack have seen a slight increase.
While numbers are important, stories of people committing crime after being released from jail have fuelled a major issue that you probably have heard a lot about: bail reform.
CAMPAIGN AD: Kathleen Hochul passed some of America’s most stringent gun laws and strengthened bail laws.
DEBATE MODERATOR – Do you believe in ending cash bail Mr. Maloney
UNIDENTIFIED MAN : Yes, I would make it a top priority.
NRCC CAMPAIGN AD : Released due to the cashless bail policy pushed Josh Riley’s extreme allies.
KARAKATSANIS – Any candidate who claims bail reform is causing crimes is lying to you. There is a lot of scientific evidence to show that keeping people in prison, even for a few hours, after arrest, actually makes us safer. It makes people more likely to be charged with crimes in the future. It destroys families.
SHANNON ROSS: It was literally an absolute nightmare.
HOLT: Shannon Ross was a father of four when he was arrested in Chicago for a gun charge. He spent four months in prison because he couldn’t afford $7,500 bail. He was found not guilty.
ROSS: Everything. I literally lost everything. I lost my home. I lost my job. I lost my relationship.
HOLT: Shannon claims he was not a threat to anyone.
Is there a quantitative link between cashless bail, an increase in crime, and cashless bail?
BILL BRATTON: It all depends on who advocates for what. Statistics can be used to tell one story, or another. It has made an impact on me personally. It might take us longer to define it.
HOLT: Bill Bratton was a leader of police departments in New York, L.A. and Boston. He believes crime is a complex issue and politics is distorting it.
BRATTON: Fear has become a weapon in this election cycle, both locally and nationally. We are dealing with fear. I feel that fear is rising.
HOLT: But, is reality outstripping fear?
BRATTON: Fear is actually influenced by perception and reality.
