Subject: RE: Video Request: Tom Cotton at Hudson Institute
From: "Yoxall, Collin" <[email-masked]>
To: Research_D <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 19 May 2016 10:47:39 -0700

Mentioned HRC "super predator" comments twice. Said that Gov McAuliffe restoration of voting rights is purely for political purposes. Said we have an under-incarceration problem in the federal system. Said that current criminal justice bill would release "thousands of violent felons". Said that current bill is dead in congress. Also said NYPD right to turn backs on De Blasio. Repeatedly said you cannot decrease sentences and not get an increase in crime. Against ban the box. Also said that POTUS is using Weldon Angelos as a political prop.

Intro by John P. Walters, COO Hudson Institute

Cotton: law enforcement memorial day reminds us of the price of public safety.

Remember deputy sonny smith. Story is a sad reminder of the need for ultimate sacrifice.

We are reaping benefits of historic lows of crime. Historic considering the spike in crime. Our cities were dying. See Maureen dowd article.

NYC had 6 murders everyday, LA had 1094. Not limited to big cities; little rock had highest per capita murder rate. HRC warned us about super predators when supporting her husbands 94 crime bill.

Some wonder whether we could term things. We changed policies. 3 strikes, broken windows, etc

People taking low crime for granted. Criminals not victims. Va gov gave back voting rights to people w/out regard for crime. Reformers want to give liberal judges more sentencing power

These policies wrong. In the last 2 years murders are up in big cities.

Americans starting to worry about crime again, see Gallup poll.

Criminals are not victims, victims are not victims.

Easy to be virtuous w/security details and living in gated neighborhoods.

Criminal leniency advocates not new. Been happening since the 1960s. this lead to HRC worry about "super predators. "

Reformers have noble motives. They are looking in the wrong places. Criminal justice can be reformed here and there but wholesale reform will hurt offenders and communities.

Current bill to reduce mandatory minimums. The arguments are baseless that supporters throw out. Overinarciartion argument is wrong. We have an underincarciration. Federal prisons are seeing populations declining.

A small number of prisoners, less than 500 prisoners, have been in prisoners for drug possession. Pro leniency advocates would extend release to thousands of violent criminals. We needed to increase cost of business for drug dealers.

Cannot decrease sentences without increasing crime.

Leniency advocates point to big budgets for public safety. "And?"

I wont conceal my contempt for idea of empathy for criminals. I support pardons for unjust sentences.

I believe criminal leniency bill is dead in congress. I will work on reform prisons, promote rehabilitation, and stop to over criminalization of private conduct.

Second priority for leniency movement is ban the box. Goal is praise worthy.  But not the right thing. Government policy her would be unworkable. Private companies can do it and I applaud. Ban the box will increase costs for small businesses. Would increase lawsuits. Ex cons face long odds in the job market. Its an attractive solution but it requires more to help ex offenders. We need to start to help felons in prison. Prisoners should be honest about their time but point to references and skills gained in prisons.

Other priority for leniency movement is restoring voting rights. That is a state decision and should stay. Advocates shouldn't say its racist to take away felons rights to vote. Racist laws have been struck done. Should murderers and rapists be accommodated? Should we make a pro-crime constituency? An offender with voting rights has no reason to buy back into the social contract. I support individual felons applying for their rights.

Finally want to talk about policing tactics. An assault on police is underway. Police officers want to see bad cops disciplined. DOJ is collecting data on use of force. Decision to use force stay you. We have already seen retaliation against police. A movement afoot to roll back solutions to crime. See it in NYC mayor; I would turn back to mayor. This is part of the Ferguson effect. This is chilling law enforcement. President Obama and others are in denial.

Black lives do matter. Police are not culprits. Bill Clinton was right. We should than police.

Minorities support broken windows. AR FBI raid showed minority communities support police.

Will conclude with what should be a joke. Obama admin says we should call criminals "justice involved individuals". This is dangerous. When we talk about crime, we should remember victims. Pardon for being too tough on crime. We should not back down on good reforms for criminal justice system.

Q&A

Mod: point about legislation in congress in important. Why is it dead?
Cotton: its dividing  in congress. Bill would extend to thousands of criminal. Not many people want to be responsible for rape or murder. More releases mean more crime. With real low level offenders, AR id doing for the right thing.

Mod: seems that in this case facts matter. How do you get on common ground?
Cotton: violent crime has increased and people are concerned in polling. Politicians hearing people, especially republicans.
Mod: hope on side on common sense?
Cotton: not going anywhere. Republican colleagues have good reforms proposed. That's were efforts should be. Why cant advocates produce a spreadsheet with those that would be released? Advocates point to wheldon angelos- why doesn't Obama pardon him. Obama wants to use him as a prop.

Mod: people harm those who they live with. Shouldn't we do more in poor neighborhoods? Doesn't seem to be a part of the debate.
Cotton: no doubt we failed a generation via the public schools. That's for state and local governments. But solution isn't to release thousands of felon. Security must be first.

Mod: talk about non citizens in justice system. Talk about?
Cotton: greatest example of disconnect between elites and the public. Those who are non citizens if they should be released they should be deported.

Mod: better ways to educate people or is it a matter of watching on the 11pm news?
Cotton: pro leniency advocates have heart in the place. Except for VA gov. put they don't have the facts. I talk about victims.

Mod: struck by lack of debate about mandatorily mins as being equal across the country. Regional and racial equity.
Cotton: lots of unintended consequences to legislation. Judges if give more discretion will give unequal sentences. People have forgotten these lessons.

Mod: mandatory mins helped break conspiracy. Doesn't seem to be part of discussion.
Cotton: sentences were designed to go for kingpins, not dealer. Dealer with a gun is a violent offender. We should focus on the kingpins.

Mod: attacks on law enforcement. Something that has happened to other institutions. How do we be fair to those protecting but weed out the wrong doers.
Cotton: first reports from the front are wrong. Situations are murky. Obama DOJ has exonerated some officers, punished others. If you have large numbers of people who do the wrong thing. Most people are most protective of it.

Mod: relationship between feds and state and local forces. Link between legislation and state criminal laws? How do local people see this?
Cotton: hear regularly from AR judges and law enforcement on this a lot. Law enforcement officers should contact senators and congressman. Have had people try to take advantage of federal/state separations.

From: Yoxall, Collin
Sent: Thursday, May 19, 2016 12:38 PM
To: Research_D
Subject: RE: Video Request: Tom Cotton at Hudson Institute

Looks like it is starting now...finally

From: Yoxall, Collin
Sent: Thursday, May 19, 2016 11:59 AM
To: Research_D
Subject: Video Request: Tom Cotton at Hudson Institute

http://hudson.org/events/1340-remarks-by-senator-tom-cotton-on-crime-and-justice-in-america52016

Due to start at noon, cotton's senate twitter account says 12:15

Collin Yoxall
Research Associate, DNC
Office: 202-863-8126 X8126
Mobile: 334-703-1690
[email-masked]<mailto:[email-masked]>