FOX contributor and attorney Leo Terrell claimed during a Fox News appearance Monday that Democrats are using homelessness as a “major profit source.”

Terrell appeared on “Hannity” to discuss NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley's recent comments in which he blamed San Francisco's rapid decline and high homeless population. Fox guest host Kayleigh McEnany asked contributors for their thoughts on Berkeley's comments about liberal cities and asked what it would take to “fix” cities. (Related: 'Homeless scammer gang': NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley cuts through rapidly declining San Francisco)

“You know, Charles Barkley, he's spoken out about this before. We learned previously that there was a leak at the Western Conference game in '22, apparently at the center of American Airlines. Yeah, this was in Dallas. He said, “The bad thing about this rain is that it's not raining to clean the dirty streets in San Francisco. San Francisco, it's a great city, but it's dirty.'' We're full of homeless people. You've got to clean those streets.'' So, Leo, we need more people like Charles Barkley to speak up again and again to solve anything. “Is that so?” McEnany asked.

Terrell said a “complete change” in Democratic leadership is needed to improve cities like Los Angeles and Chicago, but the Fox contributor said Democrats don't want to end homelessness. He argued that this is because the homeless are a “profit-making machine” for the homeless. they. Terrell highlighted his recent scenario in which politically motivated events and events cleanse cities like San Francisco for several days.

“Yes, it will require a complete change in Democratic leadership in California, New York, and Chicago. Let me be clear, Kayley, they can clean up if they want. I'm old enough to remember when I was in – cleaning up San Francisco! What I want people to understand is that homelessness is a cash cow for the Democratic Party. They campaigned on it. , raise money. They don't want it to end because they can use it to exploit people on the streets. Like the Super Bowl in California a few years ago. In LA, the streets were clean. But it's a profit machine for Democrats,” Terrell said.

California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom said in November 2023 that San Francisco would be “cleaned out” as Chinese President Xi Jinping and other foreign leaders visited the city for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) annual summit. He admitted that he had to do this.

“I know people say, 'We're just cleaning this place up because some nifty leaders are coming to town,' but it's true, because it's true,” Newsom said. I said it at the time. “We are so excited to be able to showcase this place to 21 gorgeous foreign leaders from around the world.”

The U.S. Department of Housing and Community Development reported in 2022 that there were 172,000 homeless people in California, making up more than 30% of the total homeless population in the country. according to To Cal Matters.