In an excess of 60 percent, San Francisco voters have finally come to their senses and recalled radical District Attorney Chesa Boudin on Tuesday night.
In the country’s most left-wing city, Boudins’ recall sends a clear and stiff warning nationwide to left-wing prosecutors. Dozens of these radically left-wing district attorneys have been elected in the past few years, with the substantial financial support (millions of dollars) of left-wing billionaire George Soros.
Vowing to stop prosecuting “quality of life” crimes, Boudin, was among the first of a group of left-wing prosecutors elected to pursue “criminal justice reform”. His policies, however, have witnessed the general demise of the streets of San Francisco. What once was a pristine, golden city, has been overrun by drug addicts, the homeless and criminals with the streets littered in needles and filth. So much for progressive politics. Essentially, the city has Boudin to thank together with his predecessor, George Gascón, now serving as District Attorney of Los Angeles. Gascon is currently facing his own recall petition drive.
According to Chris Hayes, of MSNBC, Boudin was reportedly a hero to the left, who opposed “mass incarceration” and “broken windows policing.” Hailed for decades by experts for lowering urban crime, Boudin argued that many misdemeanors are committed by criminals who also perpetrate more serious crimes; and that an image of neglect encourages criminal activity, whereas enforcement of even small ordinances discourages crime.
Reportedly, after his election in 2019, Boudin immediately fired experienced gang prosecutors. He also became the first prosecutor in the nation to eliminate cash bail, claiming it discriminated against the poor. Boudin publicly opposed the efforts of Mayor London Breed, who tried to launch a crackdown on crime in the drug-infested Tenderloin district.
He also was known to clash with police, prosecuting officers for alleged brutality. And while he was tough on cops, he was lenient toward casual criminals such as shoplifters. These policies resulted in the looting sprees of last November, prompting retail chains to flee the city.
Effectively, news of Boudin’s defeat could bode poorly, indicating a similar fate lies ahead, for his predecessor, George Gascón, who was elected D.A. of Los Angeles in 2020. Again, people in Americas’ cities have had enough – even the liberal stronghold of San Francisco.