Over the past few days, various sheriffs across New York state have spoken out to say that they will not be enforcing the Democrat Governor Andrew Cuomo’s strict new Thanksgiving COVID-19 restrictions. Now, Cuomo is firing back to blast the sheriffs who have dared to publicly disavow him.

“I don’t believe as a law enforcement officer you have a right to pick and choose what laws you will enforce,” Cuomo said during a press conference.

Close

The sheriffs rebelled against Cuomo after he announced new restrictions in the lead-up to Thanksgiving that included limiting indoor gatherings to just ten people, even in private homes.

“New York follows the science,” Cuomo said at the time. “We know indoor gatherings and parties are a major source of COVID spread. To slow the spread, NYS will limit indoor gatherings at private residences to 10 people. This limit takes effect Friday at 10 p.m.”

However, Cuomo never elaborated on how exactly this would be enforced, which led to sheriffs firing back by saying that they would not be making sure citizens followed the new restrictions.

“With regard to the Thanksgiving Executive Order, the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office will NOT be enforcing it against our County residents,” Fulton County Sheriff Richard Giardino wrote in a Facebook post.

Cuomo responded to Giardino and other rebellious sheriffs on Wednesday by saying that an executive order “is a law” and that the issue “has been litigated.”

Imitating a sheriff who would not enforce the order,  Cuomo said, “Well, I don’t believe in that law, and therefore I won’t enforce it.”

Returning to speaking as himself, the Democrat said this attitude “is, frankly, frightening to me as an individual, frightening to democracy. It’s arrogant, and it violates your constitutional duty.” Not stopping there, Cuomo went on to say that the opinion of an officer about a law “doesn’t matter” and that such agents have sworn to “enforce the laws.”

Who do you think would win the Presidency?

By completing the poll, you agree to receive emails from LifeZette, occasional offers from our partners and that you've read and agree to our privacy policy and legal statement.

He then mockingly imitated an officer who doesn’t want to enforce statutes related to domestic violence, stating, “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.”

“No,” Cuomo responded as himself. “There’s a law, and you have to enforce the law, or don’t call yourself a law enforcement officer.”