CNN Segment Implodes Over ‘Ferguson Effect’ Crime Data, Fact Checked By Own Reporting [WATCH]

A heated discussion unfolded during a CNN segment on Tuesday night, where Ryan Girdusky, founder of the 1776 Project PAC, argued that the “Ferguson effect” and reduced police presence in communities are leading to increases in violent crime.

The term “Ferguson effect” was first coined by St. Louis Police Chief Sam Dotson in 2014 after the police-involved shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri.

The hypothesis suggests that a decline in police activity results in a surge in violent crime.

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Girdusky linked this phenomenon to the aftermath of the death of George Floyd and the subsequent protests and riots that occurred in 2020, stating that these events contributed to a significant rise in black male deaths.

“There are the post-George Floyd riots [that] resulted in 15,000 black male deaths in this country,” Girdusky asserted during the segment, prompting a response from CNN political commentator Bakari Sellers, who questioned the validity of his claims. “How?” Sellers asked.

Girdusky elaborated, explaining that the perceived risks of policing during the 2020 riots led officers to withdraw from active duty. “The surge of violent crime, it was like Ferguson effect, the Ferguson effect and the Floyd effect … Because what happens is after the Ferguson riot and after the Floyd riot, policemen in fear of their jobs many times and political coverage, pull back from their jobs resulting in crime size,” he said.

CNN host Abby Phillips interrupted Girdusky, asserting, “Ryan, hold on, hold on. Ryan, we got to stop you there because you’re literally making a connection out of your own conjecture. You cannot just do that.”

This remark highlighted the tensions surrounding the discussion, as both sides sought to establish their positions on the causes of rising crime.

After Phillips attempted to restore order among the panel, Sellers expressed that the rise in riots and violent crimes could not solely be attributed to the deaths of black men. “That literally, and my point to you is, that makes no sense,” Sellers stated. He emphasized his support for law enforcement but called for reforms, saying, “I want police actually to be paid more, I just want better police, more qualified police.”

Phillips then reminded the panel that Donald Trump was president during Floyd’s death and the BLM riots, leading to a debate about accountability. “You’re trying to blame crime on Joe Biden, but you’re saying that people who died when Donald Trump was president, that’s not his fault?” she asked.

Girdusky responded by asserting that the president does not control local police departments, clarifying, “I didn’t blame Joe Biden.”

I mentioned the Ferguson and Floyd Effect on CNN… surprisingly, none of the Democrats on the panel had ever heard of it. pic.twitter.com/DckpbqzElS

— Ryan James Girdusky (@RyanGirdusky) October 16, 2024

After the segment ended, Girdusky posted a link to CNN’s own reporting with James Comey discussing the ‘Ferguson Effect.’

If anyone who I was on the panel with wants to know about the Ferguson or Floyd Effect… here’s where CNN covered it.https://t.co/80ZuBpg8iO

— Ryan James Girdusky (@RyanGirdusky) October 16, 2024

The issue of crime has escalated into a major political topic in the aftermath of the BLM riots, particularly as the 2024 election approaches.

Kamala Harris has faced scrutiny for her earlier support of the defund the police movement that gained traction during the BLM protests.

Here’s anti-police Kamala telling us she supports defunding the police and “re-imagining” how we “create safety”

pic.twitter.com/aO3umON7vq

— Phil Holloway ✈️ (@PhilHollowayEsq) July 26, 2024

In May 2020, she supported the Minnesota Freedom Fund, which aimed to bail out protestors arrested during the riots.

NEW: Trump will be playing this video tonight in St. Cloud.

It calls out Kamala Harris for her support of the radical Minnesota Freedom Fund, which posted bail for numerous violent criminals. pic.twitter.com/OaEXgIZLPp

— Dustin Grage (@GrageDustin) July 27, 2024

However, after being selected as then-Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden’s running mate, Harris’s communications team took a different stance. “Joe Biden and Kamala Harris do not support defunding the police, and it is a lie to suggest otherwise,” former Harris press secretary Sabrina Singh stated in October 2020, according to CNN.

She added, “Throughout her career, Sen. Harris has supported increasing funding to police departments and boosting funding for community policing.”

The discourse surrounding crime rates, police funding, and political accountability continues to be a focal point in the ongoing national dialogue, as both parties prepare for the upcoming election.

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