In a surprising turn of events, California's Democratic Governor, Gavin Newsom, has withdrawn his support to a Democratic district attorney in a bid to combat escalating crime rates.
This decision was prompted by Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price's failure to utilize state-provided attorneys to effectively prosecute drug-related crimes. This information was revealed in a letter penned by Ann Paterson, Newsom's cabinet secretary, to Price, which was later obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation.
According to the Daily Caller, the letter from Paterson to Price highlighted the latter's inaction in finalizing the memorandum of understanding or deputizing Cal Guard attorneys to work in her office. "After several months of communications, however, including fulfilling requests from your office for resumes and interviews, you have not taken the initial steps of finalizing the memorandum of understanding or deputizing Cal Guard attorneys to work in your office," Patterson wrote. "Accordingly, we have decided to shift these resources."
This public admonishment of a left-leaning district attorney by the governor is a rare occurrence. Despite this, Newsom will continue to support Alameda County by deploying state authorities. "The Governor has also directed the California Highway Patrol (CHP) to focus efforts in Oakland and Alameda County, in partnership with the Oakland Police Department, to crack down on criminal activity, including vehicle theft, retail theft, and violent crime," the letter stated.
Oakland has witnessed a significant increase in crime rates over the past year. A December 2023 crime report revealed a 44% rise in motor vehicle theft, a 38% increase in robbery, a 21% surge in violent crime, and an overall crime hike of 17%. This trend is not isolated to Oakland; other Democrat-led cities have also experienced a surge in criminal activities since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Price, who assumed office in January 2023, ran her 2022 campaign on a platform of reducing incarceration and punishing police misconduct. Her office has consistently asserted the presence of racial bias in the criminal justice system, linking it to the historical legacy of chattel slavery. However, crime rates in Alameda County have risen since she took office. Price's 2018 campaign was notably funded by the George Soros-backed California Justice and Public Safety PAC, which contributed $700,000.
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