Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Monday claimed he didn’t know about the dumb-and-dumber plans to release jailbirds early under his new bail-reform law — and then give them freebies to entice them back to court.
But critics had plenty to say about the “deranged” schemes, which were first revealed by The Post on Sunday.
The governor (right) pleaded ignorance of the state Office of Court Administration’s plan to free as many as 900 inmates before the law goes into effect next year — even though he appoints the agency’s chief justice.
“We have no knowledge of either OCA or the city’s plan regarding early releases in their local jail system,’’ Cuomo spokesman Jason Conwall told The Post.
“The legislature passed, and the governor signed, landmark criminal-justice reforms last year, and we expect them to be implemented appropriately and effectively,” he said.
Conwall refused to say whether Cuomo backed the early releases — or Mayor de Blasio’s plan to entice freed suspects to return to court by offering New York Mets tickets and other goodies.
But other pols scoffed at the idea that the governor was in the dark about the OCA’s plan.
“Who appointed the head of OCA? It’s hard to imagine someone who once claimed ‘I am the government’ isn’t aware of what state agencies are doing,” said state Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb (R-Geneva).
So-called “reforms” inked by Cuomo this past spring mean inmates facing a slew of charges — including criminally negligent homicide and aggravated assault on a child under 11 — will be freed without bail starting Jan. 1.
The legislation also applies to those already locked up, so to get ahead of a mass exodus, the OCA told The Post it is creating a plan to “stagger the release” of the accused crooks in December.
Meanwhile, de Blasio is taking things a step further by offering the Mets tickets, movie passes and gift cards as an incentive to return to court for hearings, sources said.
Staten Island DA Michael McMahon called it part of “a deranged mandate.’’
“We are reaching the point of the absurd when those who are accused of serious offenses are free to roam the streets or even rewarded with gifts while the rights of victims continue to be ignored,” he seethed.
David Hoovler, president of the District Attorneys Association of the State of New York, also issued a dire warning on the moves.
“Communities should brace themselves for the new reality that our state will be experiencing in coming months,’’ he said.
“Drug dealers, house burglars, serial drunk drivers and other lawbreakers will be immediately back on our streets to re-offend without any meaningful supervision.’’
The head of the state Republican Party, Nick Langworthy, ripped the Democratic governor for “an initiative he rubber-stamped after pandering to the left.
“It’s going to be a major issue in next year’s election. And the chief architect is Andrew Cuomo,” Langworthy said. “Cuomo owns this.
“This entire plan is not well thought-out and is downright dangerous. … It’s absolutely an embarrassment to have this rush of release of prisoners with no additional protections.”