Socialist Lawmaker Suggests Shoplifters Should Get Pass If They Steal For ‘Biological Need’

August 16, 2026 11:42 AM ET A New York socialist lawmaker says people who swipe basic goods from stores shouldn’t face charges because they have a “biological need” for what they take.State Assemblywoman Emily Gallagher made the argument Thursday at a news conference outside Manhattan Criminal Court, according to the N

A Brooklyn socialist lawmaker proclaimed this week that shoplifters have a right to steal items like soap and toothpaste from local drugstores without getting arrested because they have a “biological need.”