Supporters of San Francisco DA Chesa Boudin dispute recall narrative
SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX) -- Voters will decide in just a few weeks whether San Francisco will recall District Attorney Chesa Boudin. Critics say the city isn't safer because of the progressive prosecutor, but supporters say a recent case refutes the recall narrative.
Boudin's platform included reducing incarcerations but has also consistently said making people feel safe in the city is his top priority since running for the position in 2019.
Prosecutors secured a high profile murder conviction recently but whether that's a pattern or the exception is up for debate.
Recall supporters point to criminals commiting low-level acts of vandalism, to violent incidents on streets as major reasons to oust Chesa Boudin.
They say progressive policies and diversion programs spearheaded by the DA, instead of a tough on crime approach, are making the city less safe.
"When they violate parole they go out, they hurt, they kill, injure, and murder. This is a problem," said recall organizer Richie Greenberg.
Sherry Baltodano had been waiting for more than seven years praying, hoping, and believing prosecutors would put away Luis Guitterez behind bars for stabbing her son 39 times on the streets of San Francisco's Mission District.
Last month, jurors delivered guilty verdicts for first-degree murder and torture.
"That's what we need to do in the city make people accountable and so I really feel strongly and believe that Boudin had something to do with this," said Baltodano.
Baltodano was skeptical about the justice system after years of what seemed like a stalled case.
But recall supporters say this outcome is simply not enough within the overall picture of addressing violent crime across the city.
"He's taken one violent criminal off the street but there are numerous out there running loose right who were released," said Greenberg.
A new ad by Team Boudin shows a slew of endorsements including the San Francisco Democratic Party, teachers and nurses unions, ACLU of Northern California, and Sierra Club, to name a few.
Zaki Shaheen is Boudin's campaign manager.
"When he ran in 2019 he ran on the central platform of public safety first. He followed through with that campaign promise," said Shaheen.
On the other side, the biggest individual donor to "Safer SF without Boudin" is William Oberndorf, a major player backing Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch Mconnell, who has donated more than $600,000 to the recall effort.
They've also gotten numerous Democratic endorsements including from the Edwin M. Lee Asia Pacific Democratic Club.
"We have looked months and in the past year of who the donors are to both sides who are signing the recall petitions and they are overwhelmingly Democrats," said Greenberg.
Today was the first day of in-person voting at city hall.
Mail-in ballots have been sent out. Election Day is June 7.
Recall organizers say one thing they're concerned about is where the recall measure is located, saying it's somewhat hard to find on the ballot listed as 'H.'