In the wake of Democratic Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's dubious and politically motivated criminal indictment of former President Donald Trump, the progressive prosecutor's otherwise "soft-on-crime" policies are now coming under substantially increased scrutiny.

According to former New York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly, DA Bragg himself is a "major contributor" to the increased crime in the city, Breitbart reported.

NYC victims of crime get the opportunity to speak

That assertion from former Commissioner Kelly came during an interview Tuesday with Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo on her "Mornings with Maria" program and was in regard to a House committee hearing one day earlier that was focused on DA Bragg and crime victims in New York City.

Led by Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH), the House Judiciary Committee on Monday held a field hearing at a federal building in New York City titled "Victims of Violent Crime in Manhattan."

The stated purpose of that hearing was to "examine how Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s pro-crime, anti-victim policies have led to an increase in violent crime and a dangerous community for New York City residents."

It also featured testimony from witnesses that included a bodega clerk that Bragg charged with murder for acting in self-defense against an armed robber, the mother of a victim of homicide, and the father of a victim of an anti-Semitic hate crime.

Also testifying were a Democratic city council member, a police union official, victims' rights advocates, and anti-gun crime activists.

NYC "quality of life has deteriorated"

Asked for his thoughts on that hearing and the current "crime crisis" in the city by Bartiromo, former Commissioner Kelly replied, "I liked the hearing. I liked the fact that victims of crime can speak directly to politicians. They avoid that as much as they possibly can."

"But yes, Chairman Jordan was right on target as far as police officers being treated with such disrespect throughout the country," he continued and noted that the NYPD had lost around 11,000 officers within the past two to three years, some via normal retirement but others out of frustration over the lack of political support for their crime-fighting efforts.

"You walk along the streets of New York, you can see how much the quality of life has deteriorated. And that’s why people are leaving. It’s right there. You can see it plain as day," the former commissioner said.

"Bragg is a major contributor to this"

With regard to the increase in crime as well as NYPD resignations, Bartiromo asked Kelly what he attributed that to, Kelly replied, "Well, I attribute it to the administration, certainly, the administration of [former Mayor] Bill de Blasio. He set the tone, so to speak."

"Mayor Adams has not done the things, in my opinion, that would significantly reduce crime, bring back the anti-crime units, do stop, question, and frisk in a more active way. I think he’s trying to get the subways back. But that’s another -- that’s a challenge," he continued.

Ray Kelly: Alvin Bragg is contributing to the rising crime in NYC | https://t.co/mRf7sdOaBT @MorningsMaria @FoxBusiness

— Maria Bartiromo (@MariaBartiromo) April 18, 2023

"So, I think it really has to do with -- certainly, Alvin Bragg is a major contributor to this, because the other district attorneys in New York City follow the lead of the Manhattan district attorney," he added.