Democrat Pamela Price has announced her candidacy for District Attorney in Alameda County, a position from which she was decisively removed just a year ago.
Her decision to run again comes amid concerns over the Trump administration's U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in California, as reported by CBS News. Price was recalled from her role as the county's chief prosecutor by a significant 26-point margin in November 2024, with critics attributing the rise in crime to her policies.
At a press conference, Price addressed federal agencies, stating, I would say to ICE and any other federal agency who violate state law, f around and find out, according to CBS News. She emphasized her commitment to justice, asserting, No one is above the law and I will stand for firmness in every case and fairness. Real justice applies to everyone. Just cannot be bought by billionaires.
Price's campaign is part of a broader trend among Democratic prosecutorial candidates who have received financial backing from political action committees associated with left-wing billionaire George Soros, as highlighted by the Capital Research Center in 2022. During her tenure, Oakland, the largest city in Alameda County, experienced its highest homicide rate in a decade, with 126 murders in 2023, following 119 the previous year.
According to the Daily Caller, a significant reduction in violent crime was observed almost immediately after Price's departure and the appointment of District Attorney Ursula Jones Dickson. Under Jones Dickson's leadership, homicides decreased by 21%, robberies by 42%, rapes by 22%, and aggravated assaults by 11%, as reported by Save Alameda For Everyone (SAFE AC), a local public safety and victim support organization.
SAFE AC criticized Price's attempt to return to office, describing it as an insult to victims, a threat to public safety, and a delusional bid to reclaim power she abused. Price's administration was marked by a mass exodus of career prosecutors who cited misconduct, retaliation, political interference, and a reluctance to prosecute violent and repeat offenders. In June 2024, the Alameda County Prosecutors Association overwhelmingly voted for her removal, a decision echoed by 63% of voters in the subsequent recall.
The union's email announcing the recall vote results stated, Our support for the recall reflects the unfair and hostile work conditions that we face everyday, as we try in good faith to implement the policy directives that Pamela Price has created. Price's policies, which mandated minimal sentencing and prioritized probation, prompted Democratic California Governor Gavin Newsom to deploy state officers and attorneys to the Bay Area in 2024 to address the crime surge.
In her recent press conference, Price expressed her motivations, saying, We are standing here before you today in love. Out of our love for our community. Our love for our families. A love for justice. Her renewed candidacy raises questions about the balance between progressive criminal justice reforms and public safety, a debate that continues to resonate across the nation.
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