How the District Attorney Playbook Has Changed

Michael Smerconish has this video report on CNN. With a focus on Philadelphia, he begins by noting the change from prosecutors who ran for office by touting how tough they were to the more recent “progressive prosecutor” model, heavily reliant on large sums of campaign cash from George Soros.

However, Mr. Smerconish notes, there are signs of a trend in the other direction, with a strong challenger to Philly DA Krasner and recall efforts against SF DA Boudin and LA DA Gascón.

The second half of the report is an interview is former Philly PD Commissioner Charles Ramsey. He notes, correctly in my opinion, that the “progressive” prosecutors bear some but not all of the blame for the recent spikes in homicide. While some cases do call for alternatives to incarceration, blanket policies of seeking reduced sentences even in cases of violent and habitual criminals are emboldening criminals and increasing crime.