Sunshine Sentinel

A spokesman for Never Back Down PAC, which is supportive of the presidential campaign of Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.), praised the governor promising to repeal the so-called "First Step Act." 

"It's time for a law-and-order leader," tweeted Cortes, linking to an op-ed he authored for Real Clear Politics. "Ron DeSantis pledges to repeal Trump's jailbreak legislation."

The text of the law, signed by former President Donald Trump in 2018, says it is "to provide for programs to help reduce the risk that prisoners will recidivate upon release from prison, and for other purposes."

In his op-ed, Cortes highlights a recent stabbing attack of a staff member of U.S. Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY). Cortes writes that "the attacker had been released from federal prison just the day before the vicious attempted murder" under the "First Step Act."

In 2019, Fox News reported that, "More than a hundred violent criminals and sex offenders have been released under the First Step Act, President Trump's signature bipartisan criminal justice reform package, according to data from an administration official provided to Fox News on Monday."

Data obtained by "Tucker Carlson Tonight" found that, "of 2,243 inmates released under the First Step Act, only 960 were incarcerated for drug-related offenses. On the other hand, 496 were in prison for weapons/explosives-related crimes, 239 for sex offenses, 178 for fraud/bribery/extortion, 118 for burglary/larceny and 106 for robbery, according to the data."

"Another 59 were imprisoned over homicide/aggravated assault, 46 for immigration-related offenses, nine for counterfeiting/embezzlement and two for national security reasons," said the report. "In all, 2,023 of the inmates were male, while only 211 inmates were female. 1,017 of the 2,243 inmates are black, while 1,129 are white, 62 American Indian and 35 Asian/Pacific Islander."

The Daily Wire reported that DeSantis, in vowing to repeal the law, said it "has allowed dangerous people out of prison who have now re-offended and really, really hurt a number of people."

Cortes is also founder of the League of American Workers, an organization he says "promotes policies to protect the priorities of laborers." Previously, he served as senior spokesman and strategist for the Trump 2016 and 2020 campaigns. 

Prior to entering politics, Cortes traded global currencies and interest rates for 25 years for large international hedge funds. He has been an on-air broadcaster for CNBC, Fox News, and CNN.