Kamala Harris: Take a Maalox

• "Stephen, what I'm saying is that the AG position oversees DA offices, but is not a hands-on management of prosecutions." Actually, that is not correct, Tim. The AG's office directly prosecutes certain categories of cases and other caeses where the local prosecutors have a conflict or lack the necessary resources (such is death prosecutions in smaller counties). But I take your point.

• Stephen, what I'm saying is that the AG position oversees DA offices, but is not a hands-on management of prosecutions -- hands-on is not what Jerry Brown, for example, has been doing. The AG decides how and with what fore to enforce laws, and so sets the course on all kinds of far-reaching policies. S/he hugely influences the direction of state policy in things like prisons, the environment, Prop 8, etc. And the CA position is more influential than any other state AG. How is morale under Jerry Brown as AG? He's not the law-and-order type top cop either. I'm not sure KH would be the disaster for state LE morale that you think she would be. I also understand that trial convition rates have a lot to do with the locale's judges and juries, and SF is kind of different than the State in this regard. I hear you that you don't like Harris as a criminal prosecutor -- and that you believe that her skills are bad and office morale is low. I honestly don't know how she is, but I understand your view and points. I'm for Harris over Cooley as state lawyer because when California litigates, the nation pays attention, and I believe her ideas and philosophy are far more positive and thoughtful than Cooley's on, for example, financial crime, environmental and social conflicts, children's issues -- the whole range. The nature of the position is that if you don't have creative ideas, the state's direction suffers hugely in thelong run. I believe in her direction more than Cooley's.

• Tim--I work in the system (criminal defense lawyer for 32 years). Trust me, Harris is not a comptent prosecutor. It is not even a question of her philosophy--she lacks skill in running a public law office, especially a prosecutor's office. Morale is terrible and the office has the worst trial success rate in the state. If she was running for any other office I would feel differently. But she is running for top prosecutor in this state and her heart is not in that job. Not everyone suited to wear that hat--I know I am not. But we need competent prosecutors who can tell the truly bad guys from the other offenders, who are willing to go after them, and who (during crunch time) can win cases. If she wants to implement creative ideas she should run for a legislative or other policy making position.

• I am sorry for your experience, Stephen. It sounds and I'm sure it was horrific. I understand your feelings. I'd like to pistol-whip that punk and cut off his nuts. I don't understand how he could be out on the street after only 3 months, and even less do I understand how they could let that guy live so close to his intended crime victims. Is there some kind of restraining order on him? No one should have to live with that. I can't speak to Harris' part in your ordeal. It doesn't sound good from your description. Your experience was bad, and if I could I would ask her response. I did not mean that your experience was personally meaningless, only that, as they say, the plural of anecdote is not evidence. In this case evidence of her fitness for a big job that spans a lot of ground. That's not to diminish that ugly experience you had to go through and are still living with, but I feel that your experience proves your contention. In my opinion, Harris is interested in dealing with structural policies much more than your guy that would have the effect of keeping kids from growing up to be that asshole, and policies that would keep assholes like him from "re-offending" if he went to prison and got back out on the street. Right now people are being swept under the rug, and they only come back worse. You want someone who has incredibly good and creative solutions to *all* the many varied ares that the AG deals with. Harris seems made for that more than Cooley, in my opinion. I agree with her, basically, much more than I agree with him. I agree with her stance on the death penalty, for example. It might be cathartic, but it's much more expensive and doesn't deter, among other things. I also agree that that punk should be doing time now, and certainly not be living anywhere near you and your family. I'm sorry for your experience.

• Oh, BTW, Tim--my status as another crime victim is not "meaningless". Rather it gave me first hand insight into how Harris operates. A man was arrested on my 6th floor balcony after an alert neighbor spotted him there trying to break into my apartment. The guy was on two prior probations for burglary, was high on meth and had a knife, rope and duct-tape. (No doubt my wife and I were his planned entertainment for the evening.) This was at 3:00 am. Our building was surrounded by an entire shift of police officers. It took until dawn to arrest him, after he threatened to jump. Harris dismissed all charges from that night, and the guy (who lives 1 block away) was back on the streets in 3 months. A policeman woke me up at 3:30 am, and we both watch in the darkness of my apartment the man crouching in front of the flimsy glass French door separating the 6th floor balcony from my kitchen. If the police had no interrupted his plans I have no doubt that I would be dead, and my wife raped and then worse. But thanks to Harris he is back on the streets. "Meaningless"? Really?

• According to the official election results posted by the Cal. Sec. of State, Cooley is now leading by .5% (his lead during the last 3 days has swung between .3% and .5%)--and this is with absentee and provisional ballot counts trickling in from all 50 counties. See here: http://vote.sos.ca.gov/returns/attorney-general/

• Stephen your status as a "crime victim" is meaningless. I have been a crime victim. It doesn't make my opinion any more or less worthy. In my opinion, which I am aware is different from established fact, the difference between Cooley and Harris is night and day, with Cooley being the night. Yes, Harris has a different approach from Cooley. Prosecutors are supposed to be smart and look at the big picture. That is a rarity. Harris is the kind of attorney general who clearly would reduce recidivism in our prisons, take children, esp. abused ones, into account, reduce the huuuuge expenditures that go into our prison-industrial complex, and be attuned to environmental and social issues in a way in which good old boy Cooley would not. Yes, Cooley is a bread-and-butter, lock-'em-up kind of prosecutor. How's that working out? Harris is not only prettier, she is a forward-thinking, big idea person. We need some big creative ideas to climb out of our hole. Lock 'em up -- sorry, it doesn't work. That's why I am hoping she is elected as California's AG.

• I am a San Franciscian, a Democrat (I voted in the November 2, 2010 election for Brown, Newsom, and Boxer) and I am a crime victim. I am here to tell you that Kamala Harris is not qualified to hold the office of attorney general. What prosecutors are pledged to do above all else is to put bad guys in jail. Harris has the worst jury trial conviction rate in the state, and she often gives up and dismisses serious felony charges against repeat serious offenders. Cooley has bagage, and unlike Harris is not pretty, but he has an excillent track record of doing what prosecutors are supposed to do. I am hoping that he is elected as California's AG.

TotalComments: 8