City Government

Price for DA Campaign Says Alameda County DA’s Office Emails Reveal Prosecutor Misconduct, Corruption, Campaign Violations

After a review of the 230 pages of emails, the Sutton Law Firm, election and political law specialists, confirmed that the level of criminal activity by prosecutors was serious and warranted the filing of complaints with the Attorney General and the FPPC.

Published

3 years ago

September 11, 2021

Isabelle Price

Pamela Price Speaking at a Protest for DA Misconduct; Photo courtesy of Gene Hazzard

In April, a public records request was filed with the Alameda County District Attorney’s Clerk of Records for all emails relating to “Pamela Price” from 2017-2021.

This summer, the DA’s office turned over 230 pages of emails which exposed a concerted and seemingly deliberate effort within the DA’s office to collude with police unions across California and take down Nancy O’Malley’s opponent in the 2018 election.

Numerous violations of civil, criminal and campaign finance laws were found, as well as a continuing pattern of misconduct by deputies and O’Malley’s top employees into the 2022 race.

“I was shocked,” said civil rights attorney Pamela Price, who is again running for District Attorney.

“During the 2018 campaign, we could only see the tip of the iceberg,” she said. “We knew they were colluding with the police associations, but It is shameful to see the extent of the misconduct and corruption in the DA’s office. At least one of these offenses is a felony. We all deserve better from people specifically hired to prosecute illegal activity. That is why I am running for DA. It is past time for change.”

Some of the recurring violations constitute felonies and include:

Using County email accounts to solicit campaign contributions to pay for “hit pieces” against Price in violation of California Government Code Sections 82031, 8314 and 54964 and Penal Code Section 424;
Using County email accounts to spy and report on the Price campaign in violation of California Government Code Sections 8314 and 54964;
Using County email accounts to solicit volunteers to support O’Malley in violation of California Penal Code Section 424 and Government Code Sections 8314 and 54964.

“When we were approached about looking at the emails, I expected to see a couple of people breaking the rules of conduct,” said James Sutton, the principal attorney at the Sutton Law Firm. “I never thought that the misconduct would be so widespread within the office.”

The Sutton firm has delivered a letter to both O’Malley and Attorney General Rob Bonta, urging the Attorney General to investigate the use of the DA’s office for partisan campaigning and fundraising purposes. The letter further calls on Bonta to begin immediate review of how police unions are coercing influence within the DA’s office. In addition, a second complaint has been submitted to the Fair Political Practices Commission for its investigation.

“No one is above the law, especially not the District Attorney. I am running for DA to clean up this type of corruption and prosecutorial misconduct,” said Price. “It is about creating an office free of politics as usual and conflicts of personal interest. We must restore public trust and accountability to the DA’s office.”

“It is vital that taxpayer driven services are not being used to bolster and promote political campaigns, particularly using office resources, time and staff to run a campaign,” said Cathy Leonard of the Coalition for Police Accountability.

“Last year, the Minnesota State Attorney (Keith Ellison) stepped in to take on the work of reviewing George Floyd’s death. This action was the linchpin that led to true accountability. The public had simply lost faith in their local justice system,” stated Hon. Victor Aguilar of the San Leandro City Council.

The Oakland Post’s coverage of local news in Alameda County is supported by the Ethnic Media Sustainability Initiative, a program created by California Black Media and Ethnic Media Services to support community newspapers across California.

Isabelle Price

Posts by Isabelle Price

Up Next

S.F. Mayor London Breed Announces $50 Million in Tax Credits to Support San Francisco Non-Profits, Businesses in Disadvantaged Communities

Don't Miss

A New Mayor in 2022 Must Take Major Steps in Their First 100 Days

Isabelle Price

Click to comment

Activism

Oakland Post: Week of November 27 – December 3, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of November 27 – December 3, 2024, 2024

Published

3 days ago

November 30, 2024

Oakland Post

To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

California Black Media

California Department of Aging Offers Free Resources for Family Caregivers in November

In honor of National Family Caregivers Month this November, the California Department of Aging (CDA) is spotlighting a range of free resources to support caregivers of older adults and individuals with disabilities. Through its extensive network of Caregiver Resource Centers (CRCs) and Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs), the state provides essential tools to help caregivers manage their responsibilities while prioritizing their own health and well-being.

Published

1 week ago

November 26, 2024

Oakland Post

iStock

By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

“Caregiving is a great act of love, and this month — and every day — we uplift California’s caregivers as the under-recognized backbone of our families and communities,” said Susan DeMarois, director of the CDA. DeMarois emphasized the need for caregivers to access available support to better balance their roles without compromising their own health.

California is home to more than 4.5 million unpaid family caregivers, who contribute an estimated $81 billion annually in economic value through their care. Most caregivers are women who balance work, family, and caregiving responsibilities, often at the cost of their physical and emotional health. Given California’s aging population, the demand for caregiver support is rapidly growing, underscoring the importance of these free resources.

Thousands of caregivers accessed these services in the 2022-2023 fiscal year, benefiting from tools like professional care management and respite support. The Aging in California Resource Guide, available in six languages, offers additional information on caregiver support.

Caregivers can learn more about available resources by visiting the CDA website at aging.ca.gov and connecting with local CRCs or AAAs to discover personalized services to support them in their caregiving journey.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

California Black Media

Elections 2024: Sec. of State Weber Explains Results, Ballot Counting Process

Secretary of State Dr. Shirley N. Weber hosted a webinar on Nov. 14 to update Californians on the ballot counting process for the 2024 General Election. California is home to the largest voting base in the nation with 22.5 million registered voters. According to the Secretary of State Office (SOS), about 70% of the state’s voters participated in the November Election. So far, 15.2 million votes have been counted, processed and verified. There are still roughly 0.8 million votes to go through the process.

Published

1 week ago

November 25, 2024

Oakland Post

Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber, Ph.D. File Photo.

By Edward Henderson, California Black Media

Secretary of State Dr. Shirley N. Weber hosted a webinar on Nov. 14 to update Californians on the ballot counting process for the 2024 General Election.

California is home to the largest voting base in the nation with 22.5 million registered voters. According to the Secretary of State Office (SOS), about 70% of the state’s voters participated in the November Election. So far, 15.2 million votes have been counted, processed and verified. There are still roughly 0.8 million votes to go through the process.

Because California allows voters more time and opportunities to vote than most states, it typically takes longer to finalize the results.

Historically, it has taken the state the longest to finalize election results. Almost half of the uncalled house races this year come from California. As of Nov 14, the closest race is in the 45^thCongressional District House race between Michelle Steel and Derek Tran. The two candidates are only separated by 58 votes with 93% of all votes counted.

“California basically makes sure that every vote counts,” said Weber. “We will receive our first actual count from all of the 58 counties on Dec. 6. After that, we have at least one week, which is until Dec. 13, when we will actually certify the state results. Then that becomes the official results for the election.”

If a recount is triggered in the 45^th district, official results may take longer than the expected deadline.

The part of the ballot counting process that tends to prolong the official results involves verifying signatures and making sure individuals who obtained provisional ballots the day of the election are all eligible to vote, Weber said.

The SOS goes as far as finding individuals who neglected to sign their ballots so they can complete the process.

“The reason we do this is we respect every vote that comes in. California’s election process is designed with a core commitment to recognizing and basically accurately counting each and every eligible vote that comes into our office,” added Weber. “This approach involves a series of rigorous checks and safeguards, including Signature verification machine audits and manual accounts.”

While technology has helped expedite the counting process in some areas, as the voter base continues to grow in the state, additional manual support is needed. For example, vote my mail ballots have to be opened and counted by hand. By Oct. 18, 1.5 million vote-by-mail ballots were already submitted.

Voting over the internet is prohibited by California Law. This eliminates all possibilities of cyber tampering or electronic voter fraud.

The SOS office also does a hand count of one percent of all ballots before Dec. 13. This is done to verify the fact there is a correlation between the hand counts and what the machines are counting.

“Some people ask the question: ‘Why do we have to be so accurate?’

We do our best to make sure that every Californian who is registered legally registered to vote will have their vote counted,” Weber emphasized.