Newsom touts new agreement to bring National Guard prosecutors to Alameda County
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday announced a "swiftly" finalized agreement to allow California National Guard lawyers to prosecute crimes in Alameda County.
Newsom said the memorandum of understanding between the National Guard and California Department of Justice took only two weeks to finalize, compared to the unsuccessful "nearly five-month attempt to formalize a similar agreement" with Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price.
The announcement, which repeatedly emphasizes how quickly the agreement was reached, appears to be another salvo in the ongoing back-and-forth between Newsom and Price regarding his efforts to increase arrests and prosecutions in Alameda County.
"Today we're advancing accountability and justice for East Bay communities, by quickly securing an agreement to provide additional resources to prosecute criminal behavior," Newsom said in a news release. "I am grateful for the quick work here by the Attorney General and the California National Guard to swiftly finalize this agreement so these talented attorneys can soon help secure justice for the people of the Bay Area."
On Friday, Price said she welcomed state assistance, but also said that Newsom's much-touted CHP "surge" has only resulted in 11 criminal cases being referred to her office for prosecution.
"We hope the swift agreement reached between the DOJ and CalGuard yields equally swift results, and my office is willing to assist in that effort in any way possible," Price said in a news release.
"To the extent that there have been a large number of arrests related to CHP surge operations, our records do not reflect those cases being referred to this office for prosecution by either the CHP or the DOJ," she said.
Newsom's office said that in the first six months of the surge, 562 suspects were arrested, 1,142 stolen cars were recovered and 55 guns connected to crimes were taken off the street.
The exchange was the latest in a back-and-forth between the governor and the DA. Newsom made reference to issues the state's Department of Justice was having with Price last month. At the time, he pulled no punches when calling out her office's accountability for prosecuting cases.
In February, both Newsom and state Attorney General Rob Bonta offered Price the use of prosecutors from the California National Guard and the state Department of Justice to help with the office's caseloads, which Price said she would accept. Months later, Newsom said her office was not being cooperative.
"Yes, we've been disappointed [in the] the lack of engagement with the DA's office," he said. "So we're moving forward. Rather than complaining about it, rather than lamenting about it."
Price fired back at Newsom in response, denying his claims about the staffing of the Alameda County Narcotics Task Force. Newsom said the narcotics unit no longer had any personnel because its lead prosecutor, Michael Nieto, had left Price's office.
"I cannot speak to the governor's disappointment," Price said. "I'm disappointed that the governor did not reach out to me directly and I'm disappointed that the governor did not acknowledge the efforts that our office is making."
Nieto was appointed by Newsom last month to be a judge, but Price said he remains on her staff for the time being and has not indicated a final day of employment.
"The governor is misinformed, apparently," Price said about Nieto's employment status.
Price has been the subject of a contentious recall effort that was approved by the Alameda County Board of Supervisors last May. The recall is being consolidated with the Nov. 5 general election.
