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westchester

Jonathan Gordon

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Welcome back to News Twelve's vote. 2024 coverage of the Democratic primary for Westchester District attorney. Let's continue our conversations now with the three candidates running for the position here at News 12. We have spent years reporting on instances of hate at home. It's still an issue that's really prevalent in our county. And each candidate told us how they would tackle the rise in hate crimes in the last five months during this campaign. I've had an opportunity to meet with members of the members of many different communities, but members of the Jewish community in particular and the rise in hate crimes since October 7th is extreme against Jewish people as against other people as well. People should be entitled to live free from fear. I spoke with the, a rabbi, female rabbi at a small temple in N Rochelle. And she was saying that when she walks to temple on Saturday morning with her young boys, they take, she tells them to take the yarmulke off because she believes that they're targets. So it's, it's disturbing. She also said that she feels safer living in Israel than here, which is a terrible, you know, it's a terrible comment. Um I've indicated that I'm going to be implementing a, an advisory board on hate and bias crimes and it will be comprised of one or two people from each of these affected communities so that we'll be able to meet with them, find out their concerns and factor that into how we prosecute and how we investigate these sorts sorts of crimes. I did just recently appoint uh the first member of the LGBT Q plus community, Mike Sabatino from Yonkers. So he will be uh one of the first members uh representing that group. Well, let's talk about why hate crimes are, they're important. If you target somebody because of their race or ethnicity, you're not just targeting them, you're targeting everybody. So not only are you making a victim of the individual, you're making a victim of everybody who shares that person's characteristics, that's why they're treated more seriously. That's why they will be treated more seriously uh in my das office. And uh I will have there's a unit right now that specializes in hate crimes and bias crimes. And that's a unit that is gonna be, is gonna be fortified with AD A S uh that actually are focused on that type of crime or trained specifically to prosecute that type of type of crime as an African American. I'm extremely sensitive because my ancestors, my parents, my grandparents all have unfortunately been the victims of discriminatory conduct. So I also look at the history between the black community and the Jewish community. And honestly, without that allyship, much of the civil rights victories that the civil rights champions achieved would not have happened. So recognizing how personal it is to me, I think that it's going to take one a requirement for us to listen and not minimize the anxieties and the issues that targeted communities have been raising and make sure that police departments are being responsive to everything that is being complained of everything that's being reported and not waiting until things escalate before they actually are willing to do something. And I would commit to anyone that's in a targeted community that feels that their issues have not been adequately addressed. That under my leadership, the District Attorney's Office will take all acts of hate, whether it's a hate incident or an actual hate crime seriously and people will be prosecuted and continuing on. Last fall. Westchester County reported that nearly all major categories of crime were down, but that doesn't mean that crime doesn't exist. We also asked each candidate, what they felt was the biggest crime related issue impacting the county today. Guns 100% guns. I used to be in the Gun and Gang Bureau uh when I was in the Westchester County das office and I can tell you there's way too many guns on our streets in New Rochelle Mount Vernon Yonkers, particularly White Plains speak skill as well. There's just too many guns and we need to work with police departments to find out where the guns are coming from, who has them and where are they getting them from and uh ways to remove the guns from the streets and under my D A's office, guns are gonna be first and foremost, priority. Number one, I think it depends on what municipality Westchester is a large county and the issues are different depending on the community. If we're talking about Mount Vernon gun violence, if we're talking about some of the Northern Westchester communities, domestic violence, if you're talking about a community saying Wacky Gill in New Rochelle, it's gonna be hate crimes. And I think that that impacts the way that you should handle the job. You need to have everyone in your office uniquely qualified to understand the issues and making sure that they're in the community so that they are not trying to apply a one size fit all approach to justice. Unfortunately, it, it's not just one. we are in crisis when it comes to different crimes. Specifically the opioid and gun trafficking, both crises, uh crimes against Children, the elderly are most vulnerable. They're being targeted continually. Uh As we said before, the bias crimes, they're on an uptick, threats to our democracy. They're all issues that need to be addressed and they need someone who is ready with the experience such as mine on day one to be able to tackle these issues. So that's where the candidates stand after the break. We're gonna ask them to make their final pitch to the voters. Yeah, we'll be right back.

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Welcome back to News Twelve's Forum between the three candidates running for Westchester's district attorney. We gave each of the candidates an opportunity to give a final pitch to you the voters and here's what they had to say. This primary is about contrast and choice. The justice system needs to be reimagined. And if you think that we can continue to do the same thing that we've been doing, or if you think that somebody that's been a part of the system for the last 20 or 30 years is the answer. There are two options and you have two of my opponents to choose from. But if you wanna see the County of Westchester move in the direction where there's justice for all inside of the community, as well as inside of the streets, as well as inside of the system, then you need one person and one person only to be your next district attorney. And that's someone that's proven that they're committed to this, who has a unique background and will bring a fresh perspective. And I believe that I'm that candidate as I referenced before. It's, it's important for me as D A to keep Westchester Safe. That's the most important thing that I have to do with my background, my experience as a prosecutor, as a criminal defense attorney and a judge. For as long as I've been also a mother, a mother of three girls. I believe that I have the unique experience that will be able to keep Westchester Safe. I was a Westchester County ad a for a long time. I know it works in that office. I know what doesn't work in that office. And I will tell you one of the most important things that we have to focus on is public safety along with fairness. The truth is the criminal defendant is not a monolith. There's some people and a lot of people are in the criminal justice system because of mental illness because of addiction and poverty. So let's take the focus off of those three things. Let's get those people the help that they need and start focusing the time and efforts of the das office and the ad A s because there's some great ad A s in that office. Start focus refocusing their time and efforts on the crimes that actually matter, crimes against the community. Guns, as I mentioned in the past, crimes against reproductive rights, crimes, hate crimes, crimes against women, crimes against Children. Because all those, those are the ones that tear that are they, they are against the community wags. Staff's name will be on the working families party line. Regardless of what happens during this June primary. We asked him if he does not win the primary. If he's committed to running third party. I'm a Democrat. So if I'm not the Democratic candidate, then I probably would end my campaign at that point. That does it for our conversations with the three Democrats running for Westchester County district attorney. Don't forget to vote on primary day, Tuesday, June 25th because of course, local elections lead. It's a change.

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Power & Politics: Meet the Democrats running for Westchester district attorney

Primary day is Tuesday, June 25.

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