#AOC blames economy for NYC crime wave — not NYPD cuts

US Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez blamed a sluggish economy for New York City’s “uptick in crime” — claiming people are being forced to choose between following the law and feeding their families.

“Do we think this has to do with the fact that there’s record unemployment in the United States right now? The fact that people are at a level of economic desperation that we have not seen since the great recession?” she said in a Thursday town hall, a clip of which was shared by The Hill on Twitter Sunday.

“Maybe this has to do with the fact that people aren’t paying their rent and are scared to pay their rent. And so they go out and they need to feed their child and they don’t have money. So, you maybe have to — they’re put in a position where they feel like they either need to shoplift some bread or go hungry that night.”

The divisive rep shot down claims that a reduced NYPD budget has led to more chaos, arguing that Gotham was slipping before the department’s budget was cut July 1.

“Keep in mind that this uptick in crime that’s happening right now is with a $6 billion New York City Police Department budget. We have shoved more and more and more money into the NYPD. It has not prevented this uptick in crime,” she said in a Thursday town hall, a clip of which was shared by The Hill on Twitter Sunday.

While shootings and murders have skyrocketed this year, overall crime has been trending down. There have been a little over 1,300 fewer major crimes reported this year, for a 3-percent reduction over 2019, according to NYPD data.

Ocasio-Cortez also slammed the NYPD for blaming bail reform for a rise in city shootings, as she appeared to cite an exclusive Post report debunking the bogus claim.

Despite 528 shootings through June 30, up 46 percent from last year, only one person released under the new law were charged in a shooting.