On Monday’s broadcast of CNN’s “The Source,” Democratic Wisconsin gubernatorial candidate Francesca Hong said that she is “not interested in abolishing prisons.” But then responded to a question on whether a world without prisons would be a perfect world by saying that “what may be aspirational and then understanding the role of the governor, what they can and cannot do and what is implementable right now, these are different conversations.” And also stated that she supports “those things right now that are helping to ensure that there is public safety.”
Host Kaitlan Collins played clips of HBO host Bill Maher saying he won’t vote “for anyone who thinks the wrong side won the Cold War or cheers for the intifada like it’s the World Cup”, the Democratic Party is being “colonized”, and criticizing Hong for her past remarks on abolishing police and prisons and asked Hong for her response.
Hong responded, “No, the governor cannot defund the police, and I won’t defund the police. And I am not interested in abolishing prisons. What I am interested in is being serious about safety, and that means ensuring that law enforcement has the training that they need and that we’re holding law enforcement that break the law accountable. What it also means [is] that we have to be tough on causes if we’re going to be tough on crime and investing in the things that we know prevent crime, like funding schools, great out-of-school programs, making sure that we have mental health resources and addiction resources, good housing and fair, healthier healthcare. So, and it’s — those photos that he put up, I think he had to, because the real story is, when you look at our campaign events…there is an immense amount of joy and creativity and people feeling excited to be engaged in politics. That’s what this campaign is about, and we’re talking about the issues that they care about. And I think it’s important that we help voters feel like they belong before we make them believe in something. And that’s what’s been really great about running a grassroots movement.”
Collins followed up, “You said you don’t support abolishing prisons. Do you still hold the view that you laid out in May, which was that, in a perfect world, it would be a world without prisons?”
Hong answered, “I think talking about what may be aspirational and then understanding the role of the governor, what they can and cannot do and what is implementable right now, these are different conversations. If we’re going to be serious about public safety and ensure that everyone’s human right to feel safe is what we are trying to do, we have to make sure that the system right now that is incarcerating more black and brown men than any other state in the country right now, where we have — our schools are having to go to referenda just to try to figure out if they can keep the lights on, making sure that we are delivering solutions, not focusing on labels or slogans, because governing, ultimately, is about making sure that we’re working with our partners in communities on the issues that they care about.”
Later, Collins asked, “So, you do support the Senate, the Supreme Court, and prisons — the existence of prisons?”
Hong answered, “Yes, I support all of those things right now that are helping to ensure that there is public safety. But I do believe, right now, in our Supreme Court, that we should be working to expand the court.”
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