Sunny Hostin and Alyssa Farah Griffin Spar Over Crime: 'I Don't Feel Safe in New York'

It was a right-versus-left battle on The View Wednesday morning as Alyssa Farah Griffin and Sunny Hostin clashed over crime. While Sunny Hostin argued that New York City, with its $5 billion police budget, "is one of the safest cities in the country," Griffin disagreed, insisting she doesn't "feel safe in New York."

The women of The View spent the morning discussing two Tuesday night debates: the Pennsylvania Senate debate between John Fetterman and Mehmet Oz, and that of New York gubernatorial candidates Kathy Hochul and Lee Zeldin. The latter was focused primarily on crime, as Zeldin accused Hochul, the incumbent governor, of doing little to curb everyday acts of violence. Just 12 hours later, Whoopi Goldberg turned the heat back on Zeldin when she asked what his "plan" is to address crime in New York City. "I wanted to hear him say something other than, 'You, you, you,'" said the longtime moderator. "She at least has a plan."

As she was hired to do, Griffin chimed in with "the Senate Republican plan on how we can deal with violent crime," including "more grants to police funding" and "more grants to detectives."

"I think the plan is fear-mongering," interrupted Hostin, as Griffin maintained it's "a response to Democrats saying, 'Defund the police.'"

When Hostin insisted that New York City is "one of the safest cities in the country," particularly given its massive NYPD budget, Griffin offered an interruption of her own. "Do you feel that, though?" she asked. "I don't feel safe in New York. I live in the city. I don't feel safe in New York."

DEMS TOO LATE ADDRESSING CRIME? With many Republicans running with law and order messages going into the midterms, it was one of the big talking points in Tuesday's New York gubernatorial debate — #TheView co-hosts discuss. https://t.co/cVclFZQmjA pic.twitter.com/AlQ10xkB2U

— The View (@TheView) October 26, 2022

"Alyssa, you're very young," said Joy Behar, finally putting in her two cents. "You're 32 years old, was it? You know, I've been around, and there were worse crime rates in the '80s and the '70s. I was afraid to leave my house at some points!"

"I agree, but we shouldn't settle," said Griffin. "No, I'm not settling for it, but don't exaggerate the situation!" fired back Behar.

Will this be the conflict that finally kicks Griffin into a fifth gear? Here's hoping!

Claire Spellberg Lustig is the Senior Editor at Primetimer and a scholar of The View. Follow her on Twitter at @c_spellberg.