Both candidates in Allegheny County DA's race insist they're reformers as money support gets attention
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — The race for Allegheny County district attorney is coming down to the wire.
As KDKA-TV political editor Jon Delano reports, the Democratic incumbent is running on the Republican ticket against the man who beat him in the primary.
Challenger Matt Dugan, the Democratic nominee, says he's a reformer who wants to change the district attorney's office.
"When we have people in the criminal justice system because of substance abuse issues or mental health issues or instability due to poverty, if we can be an advocate connecting those folks to services and making sure we can address the core drivers of their entry into the criminal justice system, the district attorney has the ability to divert them out of the criminal justice system when it is safe and appropriate to do so," says Dugan.
Dugan says he will prosecute crimes but says a case-by-case examination of what causes the crime is also important.
"There's not going to be a one-size-fits-all disposition," says Dugan.
Incumbent District Attorney Stephen Zappala, a Democrat running on the Republican ticket, says he, too, is a reformer, pointing to his creation of special courts for those with drug or mental health issues and his push to require body cameras on all police officers.
"The body cams and custodial interrogation: People were complaining about police officers and their conduct. Police would come to me and say, respectfully, they're not being honest about the content of the confrontation. So, we put body cams on, and 95 percent of complaints against police officers go away," says Zappala.
Zappala says he also required police interrogations to be on video with audio and reforms continue.
"Reform is an ongoing thing, but it's also a beginning of partnerships," says the incumbent.
Zappala questions Dugan's out-of-state money, as campaign reports confirm that almost all of Dugan's money has come from a political action committee funded by one man, billionaire George Soros, who supported DA candidates in San Francisco and Philadelphia.
Delano: "What is the connection between a political action committee that backs very liberal district attorney candidates in other cities and support for you here in Allegheny County?"
Dugan: "So, yes, we've been very upfront about the fact that we've been funded by this PAC."
But Dugan insists that it's strong local support for his views that attracted attention from Soros, not some promise or quid pro quo.
"The only reason that interest was there is because of the support we've had locally," says Dugan.
Zappala says Dugan's outside funding means he can't speak for county residents.
"I think when the gentleman stands up and says, 'The people of Allegheny County want this,' I don't think he speaks for the people of Allegheny County. He's never represented their interests," notes Zappala.
"Where's Steve Zappala been? He's out picking political fights with his enemies. He's not offering any real solutions," says Dugan.
For Zappala on the Republican line to defeat Dugan on the Democratic line, Zappala will need somewhere between 25 to 35 percent of Democratic voters.
The election is Tuesday, Nov. 7.