We don’t want to get our hopes up, but it sure does look like San Franciso District Attorney Chesa Boudin is in trouble as election officials determine if enough signatures were gathered in time to force a recall election:
“A recall effort against San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin very likely will reach voters as early as June, after campaign organizers submitted approximately 83,000 signatures Friday to qualify for the ballot — roughly 32,000 more than required.” https://t.co/0b4zT9DVFM
— Josh Kraushaar (@HotlineJosh) October 23, 2021
And in response to this news, prosecutors in his own office have had enough:
From columnist Heather Knight: Over 50 attorneys and other staff have left the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office since Chesa Boudin took charge. But one person explains why she’s volunteering on his recall campaign instead. https://t.co/DbNJ7uruV5
— San Francisco Chronicle (@sfchronicle) October 24, 2021
Brooke Jerkins, the homicide prosecutor quoted above who just quit, called the DA’s office under Boudin’s leadership a “sinking ship . . . like the Titanic” and will now work on the recall effort:
"The D.A.’s office now is a sinking ship,” she said. “It’s like the Titanic, and it’s taking public safety along with it.” https://t.co/LJoRP7yndt
— Dave Lu 呂曉龍 (@davelu) October 24, 2021
But she’s not alone:
It’s not a Republican-led recall, it’s a Prosecutor-led recall. https://t.co/pclWKaAGp2
— David Sacks (@DavidSacks) October 24, 2021
It’s long past time for Boudin to go:
A MUST READ: @chesaboudin is captain of a sinking ship, we’ve known this. Now, you can hear from an insider who just quit and is joining the recall effort. Chesa still finds ways to deflect and deny reality: he’s terrible for the job, he’s dangerous and he must go asap. https://t.co/Ld2Jr8aiUr
— Richie Greenberg (@richieSF2016) October 24, 2021
Jenkins told the San Francisco Chronicle that Boudin’s first priority “was public perception, the 2nd priority was incarcerated people” and “the victims of crime did not count among his priorities unless it helped public perception”:
Former SF prosecutor: “The priority first was public perception, the 2nd priority was incarcerated people… the victims of crime did not count among his priorities unless it helped public perception.”
Chesa Boudin must be recalled for us to be safe.https://t.co/4wMoirNtKF
— garrytan.eth 陈嘉兴 🔺🌐 (@garrytan) October 24, 2021
This is such a damning critique of Boudin, but it’s what conservatives have been arguing for years:
“[@chesaboudin] will intervene in cases unilaterally to enforce what he believes is right regardless of what his line attorneys feel or [what] the evidence suggests…
he is wedded to his radical approach to prosecution and to criminal justice…
This is my exit interview.” https://t.co/Ksn9yFbKoo
— Ron Pragides (@mrp) October 24, 2021
Keep in mind, Jenkins calls herself a “progressive prosecutor”:
“But she disagrees with what she sees as Boudin prioritizing ideology and politics over the day-to-day handling of cases, which she said has yielded an unorganized office, plummeting morale and bad outcomes for victims and their families.” —Progressive prosecutor 🌉 https://t.co/jMOTEycepd
— Luke Russert (@LukeRussert) October 24, 2021
Actually, it’s not so complicated. He’s awful at his job and he put his politics first:
"Sitting in Golden Gate Park, Brooke Jenkins made clear the city’s debate over crime and how DA Chesa Boudin responds to it is more complicated than left vs. right…Jenkins is one of about 50 lawyers to leave since January 2020."
Latest @hknightsf column https://t.co/7qArPc7QQp
— Demian Bulwa (@demianbulwa) October 24, 2021
The question remains, however, can libs get both criminal justice reform and still prosecute crimes:
This is not public service.
This is another level of sociopathy.
The result is unsafe SF streets where we don’t know when we will be robbed or worse.
We get ideology instead of what we deserve: a strong leader who can bring criminal justice reform while keeping us safe.
— garrytan.eth 陈嘉兴 🔺🌐 (@garrytan) October 24, 2021
It may not be possible:
Very interesting fight within the progressive movement happening in SF. Could show where the red line is for activism vs practicality.
— Luke Russert (@LukeRussert) October 24, 2021
***
Join the conversation as a VIP Member