Wfp District Attorney Questionnaire

2009 District Attorney Questionnaire

[All questions marked with an asterisk are mandatory]

C Caannddiiddaattee aanndd ccaam mppaaiiggnn ccoonnttaacctt iinnffoorrm maattiioonn:: pplleeaassee lliisstt iinnffoorrm maattiioonn EEXXA AC CT TLLYY aass iitt w wiillll aappppeeaarr oonn yyoouurr ddeessiiggnnaattiinngg ppeettiittiioonn.. FFiirrsstt N Naam mee**::

LLaasstt N Naam mee**::

M Miiddddllee IInniittiiaall:: MAILING ADDRESS*: SSttrreeeett A Addddrreessss M Muunniicciippaalliittyy ZZIIPP LEGAL RESIDENTIAL ADDRESS FOR PETITIONING PURPOSES*: H Hoom mee C Ciittyy oorr T Toow wnn:: H Hoom mee C Coouunnttyy:: SSttrreeeett A Addddrreessss:: M Muunniicciippaalliittyy:: ZZIIPP::

C Ceellll PPhhoonnee**::

H Hoom mee PPhhoonnee**::

W Woorrkk PPhhoonnee**::

EEm maaiill A Addddrreessss ((N Noonn--G Goovveerrnnm meennttaall))::**

Confirm email: EEm maaiill A Addddrreessss ((N Noonn--G Goovveerrnnm meennttaall))::** WORK ADDRESS: SSttrreeeett A Addddrreessss:: C Ciittyy:: ZZIIPP:: CAMPAIGN HQ ADDRESS: SSttrreeeett A Addddrreessss:: C Ciittyy:: ZZIIPP::

C Caam mppaaiiggnn M Maannaaggeerr N Naam mee:: C Caam mppaaiiggnn M Maannaaggeerr C Ceellll PPhhoonnee:: C Caam mppaaiiggnn M Maannaaggeerr EE--M Maaiill:: Which address should your endorsement paperwork be sent to?* (Please make sure you have inputted the one you specify.) Please select one ...

In what county are you running?*

Are you the incumbent?* YYeess

N Noo

Which of the major party lines are you seeking, if any?* D Deem mooccrraatt RReeppuubblliiccaann N Noonnee What other party lines are you seeking, if any?* IInnddeeppeennddeennccee C Coonnsseerrvvaattiivvee N Noo O Otthheerr IIff ""ootthheerr"" pplleeaassee ssppeecciiffyy:: With which party are you currently registered?* W Woorrkkiinngg FFaam miilliieess D Deem mooccrraatt RReeppuubblliiccaann IInnddeeppeennddeennccee

IIff yyeess,, yyeeaarr fifirrsstt eelleecctteedd::

C Coonnsseerrvvaattiivvee O Otthheerr You understand and agree with the above?* YYeess Do you agree not to seek the WFP line through an OTB or any other means?* YYeess

SSeenntteenncciinngg RReeffoorrm m The United States incarcerates a far greater proportion of its population than any other industrialized country. We believe that this large prison population does nothing to reduce crime, is a waste of both taxpayer dollars and human potential, and is incompatible with a broad view of justice. District Attorneys have a great deal of discretion in choosing who to prosecute and what sentences to seek. We support using this discretion to channel low-level, non-violent offenders away from the criminal justice system. Do you support increased use of community service, drug treatment and other alternatives to incarceration? YYeess

N Noo

N Noott SSuurree

C Coom mm meennttss

Will you commit to increasing the proportion of offenders in your county who are channeled into such alternative sentences rather than the prison system? YYeess

N Noo

N Noott SSuurree

C Coom mm meennttss

What specific steps will you take to channel offenders into ATI (Alternatives to Incarceration) Programs within the criminal justice system?

D Drruugg LLaaw w RReeffoorrm m New York’s drug laws have been amongst the nation’s most punitive in their treatment of low-level drug offenders. The mechanical application of standards based on the quantity of drugs in the defendant’s possession and the lack of judicial discretion creates grossly disproportionate sentences in thousands of cases. These laws have not succeeded in reducing, much less eliminating, the illegal drug trade, but they have destroyed tens of thousands of lives and damaged our most vulnerable communities. Do you support the Rockefeller Drug Law reforms passed in this year’s State Budget, which include giving judges the authority to send first time non-violent offenders to treatment instead of prison and expanding existing drug treatment programs? YYeess

N Noo

N Noott SSuurree

C Coom mm meennttss

Do you believe that additional reforms are needed to further reduce the number of people imprisoned for drug offenses? YYeess

N Noo

N Noott SSuurree

C Coom mm meennttss

Do you support additional reductions of the longest drug sentences, including retroactive relief for those currently imprisoned? YYeess

N Noo

N Noott SSuurree

C Coom mm meennttss

What specific steps will you take to support additional drug-law reform?

D Deeaatthh PPeennaallttyy We believe that historically the death penalty has been applied in an inconsistent and often biased manner. Justice should never be arbitrary or discriminatory, and this ultimate and irrevocable sanction must be subject to especially intense scrutiny. High-quality legal defense is especially critical. Accordingly, we support a moratorium on the death penalty until and unless safeguards are developed that allow it to be applied fairly and consistently. Do you support reinstating the death penalty in New York State? YYeess

N Noo

N Noott SSuurree

C Coom mm meennttss

Please describe in detail the criteria you would use in seeking the death penalty, if it is reinstated.

W Wrroonnggffuull C Coonnvviiccttiioonnss What steps will you take to ensure that new evidence of innocence or wrongful conviction is given a fair hearing?

RRaacciiaall D Diissppaarriittiieess The criminal justice system has historically been a major locus of racial discrimination. Today, African-American, and to an increasing extent Latino, men are prosecuted and incarcerated at far greater rates than whites. Racial discrimination need not be overt; it is often reflected in the differential impact of seemingly color-blind policies. We believe that avoiding overtly discriminatory policies is not enough; it is the responsibility of District Attorneys to reduce racial disparities in their jurisdiction. What is your position on racial profiling by law enforcement? O Oppppoossee

SSuuppppoorrtt

N Noott SSuurree

C Coom mm meennttss

Will you work to reduce racial disparities in prosecution, bail, and sentences? YYeess

N Noo

N Noott SSuurree

C Coom mm meennttss

Will you adopt formal, written policies to minimize racial disparities in decisions to prosecute? YYeess

N Noo

N Noott SSuurree

C Coom mm meennttss

Will you adopt formal, written policies to minimize racial disparities in the setting of bail? YYeess

N Noo

N Noott SSuurree

C Coom mm meennttss

Will you adopt formal, written policies to minimize racial disparities in plea bargain offers? YYeess

N Noo

N Noott SSuurree

C Coom mm meennttss

Given that Desk Appearance Tickets (DATs) tend to be discriminatorily issued, what steps would you take to encourage the NYPD to issue more DATs to eligible arrestees to all demographics in your office's jurisdiction?

Will you regularly publish detailed statistics, including racial breakdowns, on prosecutions, bail, DATs, and plea bargain offers to allow the public to monitor your progress? YYeess

N Noo

N Noott SSuurree

C Coom mm meennttss

What specific steps will you take to increase the diversity of your staff, at all levels?

EExx--O Offffeennddeerrss Individuals who have completed their sentences are often punished a second time by the obstacles they face in finding employment and rejoining their community. This is not only unfair to the individuals involved, but it also encourages recidivism and deprives our economy of potentially productive workers. Will you take steps to enforce the Constitutional prohibition of hiring discrimination against ex-offenders? YYeess

N Noo

N Noott SSuurree

C Coom mm meennttss

Will you support programs to assist ex-offenders in finding employment, completing their education and gaining the skills necessary to function in society? YYeess

N Noo

N Noott SSuurree

C Coom mm meennttss

Will you aggressively seek state and federal funds for such programs? YYeess

N Noo

N Noott SSuurree

C Coom mm meennttss

Will you create or expand programs to track ex-offenders after they leave the criminal justice system, to improve the quality of programs to reintegrate them into the community? YYeess

N Noo

N Noott SSuurree

C Coom mm meennttss

C Coonnssuum meerr PPrrootteeccttiioonn//W Whhiittee C Coollllaarr C Crriim mee PPrreevveennttiioonn Will you aggressively prosecute consumer fraud and white collar crime?

YYeess

N Noo

N Noott SSuurree

C Coom mm meennttss

Will you work to protect constituents from predatory lending? YYeess

N Noo

N Noott SSuurree

C Coom mm meennttss

What specific steps will you take in the above areas?

EEnnvviirroonnm meennttaall C Crriim mee Will you aggressively prosecute environmental crimes? YYeess

N Noo

N Noott SSuurree

C Coom mm meennttss

Will you establish or expand a separate Environmental Crimes unit, with a dedicated staff? YYeess

N Noo

N Noott SSuurree

C Coom mm meennttss

A Assssiissttaanntt D Diissttrriicctt A Attttoorrnneeyyss Would you support a law allowing non-supervisory Assistant District Attorneys to join unions? YYeess

N Noo

N Noott SSuurree

C Coom mm meennttss

If such a law were passed, would you commit not to oppose any effort at unionization among your own Assistant District Attorneys? YYeess

N Noo

N Noott SSuurree

C Coom mm meennttss

Please describe in detail the level of discretion you will allow Assistant District Attorneys.

PPuubblliicc FFuunnddiinngg Would you support public financing of all District Attorney elections, through a statewide system of public financing of elections? YYeess

N Noo

N Noott SSuurree

C Coom mm meennttss

Would you support a requirement that funding for Indigent Defense Providers be increased in proportion with funding for the District Attorney’s office? YYeess

N Noo

N Noott SSuurree

C Coom mm meennttss

PPrriioorriittiieess If elected, what will be your two or three top priorities as District Attorney?

As District Attorney, what two or three changes to state or local law would you most support?

IIddeeoollooggyy Working Families believes that we’re “in this together,” as opposed to conservatives who say “you’re on your own.” We believe in universal healthcare, keeping social security from being privatized, investing in education, corporate regulation, real estate regulation to protect affordable housing, trade agreements that protect workers and the environment, investing in mass transit, equal rights, tax fairness, and clean elections. A. How would you describe your political philosophy?*

B. Please describe your past activities, accomplishments, legislative victories and experiences that demonstrate what you have in common with Working Families’ ideology.

Please list the organizations – community groups, unions, issues groups, etc. – that have endorsed you.

Please list any relevant organizations of which you are a member.

If you receive the support of Working Families: A. Will you list Working Families on all of your literature?* YYeess

N Noo

N Noott SSuurree

C Coom mm meennttss

B. Will you pay for a targeted mailing informing voters of the WF endorsement?* YYeess

N Noo

N Noott SSuurree

C Coom mm meennttss

If you are elected: A. Will you meet regularly (once every six months) with Working Families leaders and members to follow up on issue concerns?* YYeess

N Noo

N Noott SSuurree

C Coom mm meennttss

B. Will you participate in an annual policy forum for Working Families elected officials?* YYeess

N Noo

N Noott SSuurree

C Coom mm meennttss

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