Federal ‘stop-and-frisk’ judge rebukes Mike Bloomberg, Joe Biden statements in debate

The federal judge who ruled in 2013 that New York City’s “stop-and-frisk” police tactics were unconstitutional said both former Mayor Michael Bloomberg and former Vice President Joseph R. Biden got their facts wrong about the program during Wednesday’s Democratic presidential debate.

Retired U.S. District Judge Shira Scheindlin said on MSNBC Thursday evening that there was clear racial profiling going on with the program, which she pointed out began during the administration of former Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani but expanded under Mr. Bloomberg.

“Mayor Bloomberg said ’when I realized it was bad toward the end, I ended it and [it] dropped 95%,’” she said. “That is not accurate.”

Judge Scheindlin said in the last two years or so, there was a decline, “but it wasn’t because he realized, had an epiphany it was wrong.”

“It’s [because] of the court rulings,” she said. “That’s what happened. I ruled.”

Mr. Biden had said at the debate that the reason the policy changed was because the Obama administration sent in monitors to examine it.

But Judge Scheindlin said that “of course,” Mr. Biden was not correct.

“Totally wrong — I appointed a federal monitor in August of 2013 who didn’t take office for 10 months because Mayor Bloomberg insisted on trying to appeal my ruling and getting it overturned,” she said.

Judge Scheindlin also said in a piece for The New York Times this week that she doesn’t think Mr. Bloomberg is a racist and that he believed the policy was protecting African-Americans.

“If he is the best person to head the Democratic ticket this fall, then his failed stop-and-frisk policy should not prevent him from assuming that most important role,” she said.

Judge Scheindlin said defeating a “committed racist” in President Trump “should be everyone’s priority.”