 |
 |
 |
|
|||||
|
Cop Unions Renew Backing Of Crocker Snyder for DA; 2nd Challenge to Morgenthau Former Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Leslie Crocker Snyder is once again challenging Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau for re-election in 2009, and just like last time, she has enlisted the support of numerous law-enforcement unions.
DEA: A Creature of His Staff "Today, the criminals are more sophisticated, they use technology, and the Manhattan District Attorney in its current form is not responding to that," said Detectives Endowment Association President Michael J. Palladino. "At this point in Mr. Morgenthau's life I find it very difficult to believe or to accept that he has his finger on the pulse and that he's in control. [His] staff is running the office, and that's not what the people are voting for." Ms. Snyder said that the current Wall Street crisis and continuing economic downturn will mean budget cuts and rising unemployment, which almost inevitably will translate into higher crime rates. "This will have an impact on our criminal justice system and we will face unparalleled challenges [from] both violent crime and white-collar crime," Ms. Snyder said. "We need to develop new creative bold initiatives to meet these challenges. We need change, not more of the same. It's not enough for the Manhattan District Attorney to simply name a new bureau every time he sees some issue in the paper when the resources aren't even behind it." Eyes Alternative Approach While favoring tough sentences for violent crime, Ms. Snyder noted that she would consider other avenues besides incarceration for certain non-violent crimes and drug-related offenses. She added that in anticipating the deteriorating economic conditions in the next several years, the DA's Office under her administration would partner with health-care, law-enforcement and education groups to target at-risk populations and offer counseling that would steer people away from drugs and crime. "We need to counsel people before they commit crimes and to connect them with job training and education," she said. Also endorsing Ms. Snyder were the Captains Endowment Association, the Lieutenants Benevolent Association, the NYPD Hispanic Society, the Policewomen's Endowment Association, the state Court Officers Association, the Supreme Court Officers Association, the state Court Clerks Association, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police Benevolent Association, and the Port Authority's PBA, DEA and Sergeants Benevolent Association. Morgy 'Ahead of Other DAs' Political consultant George Arzt, who is Mr. Morgenthau's campaign spokesman, dismissed Mr. Palladino's claims. "I think Bob Morgenthau is an icon in the law enforcement field," he said in a phone interview later that day. "He's ahead on all the issues: off-shore banking, DNA. He is way ahead of other DAs on key technology issues." Mr. Arzt discounted the effect that the union support would have on Ms. Snyder's campaign. "It's interesting that almost all of the union heads were with Ms. Snyder four years ago and she lost by more than 20 percent," he said. "Also, most of them do not live in New York County. I just don't think that Mr. Palladino or some of the other union heads make an impact on this race, because of where they live and where many of their members live as well." Modified Death Stance Ms. Snyder added that she has modified her platform since the last time she ran, now fully opposing the death penalty rather than supporting it in extreme cases. Mr. Palladino admitted that he did not share her opposition, but considered the difference irrelevant since state courts have deemed the practice unconstitutional. Ms. Snyder pointed to other differences between her and DA Morgenthau. "He's been against community courts for years," she said. "He was against a felony domestic court until I spoke up about it — then he acceded to it grudgingly." |
      |
||||
