Don’t have an hour to watch The Standard’s live interview with District Attorney Chesa Boudin? We clipped seven of the best moments where Boudin vigorously addresses his critics and defends his record.
1. Chesa Boudin Says the Asian-American Community Supports Him.
Boudin says Chinese leaders in San Francisco are backing him, listing off all the Asian-American politicians who support him.
2. Chesa Boudin on “Tough on Crime” Prosecutors: “That’s Not San Francisco”
Boudin asks if voters really want to live in a city with “tough on crime policies, where we prosecute children as adults, where we seek the death penalty, and people come out of prison and commit mass shootings.”
3. Chesa Boudin Says It’s “Dishonest” His Office Gets So Much Criticism for Turnover.
“Every single city agency is having a hard time retaining staff right now”: Boudin says it’s “dishonest” that the DA’s office gets so much criticism for turnover and management.
4. Chesa Boudin Says It’s Often the Judges Who Order People Released From Jail.
Boudin says his team will often ask for suspects to be held in custody, but then the judge orders them released. It’s happened “hundreds of times” and happens “every day,” he said.
5. Chesa Boudin Says He Never Supported Defunding the Police.
Boudin says he “never weighed in on the whole debate about defunding the police.”
6. Chesa Boudin Says Our Criminal Justice System Remains Unsolved.
“No one has solved the problems in our criminal justice system”: Boudin makes a case for why progressive prosecution, while not perfect, has better outcomes than traditional tough-on-crime prosecution.
7. Chesa Boudin Says the People Trying to Recall Him Are Racist.
Boudin calls the people trying to recall him racist, anti-immigrant and anti-Chinese, and challenges top recall funder William Oberndorf to a debate.