Sitting in on the ALCO BOS meeting to discuss and choose an interim ALCO DA. Have no idea what to expect here...

Board President Haubert opening, County Admin giving overview of process:

Round 1: each BOS will vote for up to 2 of the 7 candidates. Three candidates who received most votes go to round 2. Round 2: 3 candidates w/most round 1 votes; BOS vote for up to 2 of 3 candidates who received. 2 candidates with the greatest number will proceed to round three.

Round 3: BOS will vote on 2 candidates w/most votes. If no candidate receives 3 votes, then a second vote will be taken. In event no candidate receives 3 votes after 2nd vote, there will be a round four

If there is a round 4, all 7 candidates can be voted for. If there's a tie in any round, both candidates move to next ground.

SAFE's candidates are Ursula Dickson and Annie Esposito. There's no evidence SAFE actually represents any more opinion than Chan, Grisham and their funders.

Public speakers are going first. There's a 100 speakers between in person and zoom. Haubert says he could limit speakers to one minute at some point.

PORAC, a police think tank had some harsh words for everyone but Esposito and Dickson. Remarkable claims opposed to the idea of the justice system, that "victims" should have rights over "perpetrators" who are residents who have not yet been proved guilty.

Most of the statements for Dickson and Esposito treat them as interchangeable and endorse them equally

Former BART Chief of Police backs Venus Johnson.

There's no evidence presented that SAFE has polled anyone, represent anyone but themselves. The vote to recall Price did not contain an alternative, and so much of what the handful of SAFE principals are saying about carrying mandate has no basis in fact.

Jason Quinn of the Prosecutors union "hearts and minds of the prosecutors, we are defeated, we feel under-appreciated...we are incredibly behind on the works" Quinn, knowingly or not, commenting that the recall has hurt the DA's office.

Quinn did not propose a prefered candidate.

There's no evidence that voters even know SAFE exists.

Pablo Escobar, the only member of his purported organization to ever speak on behalf of the organization. No one has ever said this name but him. Escobar does not appear to live in Oakland.

No one applauded for Escobar's statement.

A retired captain from the Alameda County DA backs Lowe, first comment in favor of Loew. So far most of the support is for Dickson and Esposito==Dickson says she'll bring Esposito in if she's appointed.

By backing two candidates, SAFE is taking a ranked choice voting strategy, since the process resembles RCV.

a caller says that the recall was a mistake "locking people up is definitely not the way...Venus Johnson will be a great candidate for this position"

Fremont Council Member Yeng Xiao "message could not be clear, public safety is of the utmost importance" backs Dickson/Esposito

The housing advocate for All of Us or None asked BOS simply to choose a candidate that supports alternatives to incarceration

Robert Bowden of All of Us or None stressing alts to incarceration.

A speaker notes Price was recalled because she was made a scapegoat for issues like pandemic-related crime by SAFE "let's not pretend there isn't politics going on both sides from rich billionaires who funded their efforts & don't buy into the idea that they represent the public"

She also noted that the strategy of backing two candidates was underhanded and cynical.

Cathy Leonard: "It is my belief that the recall of Pamela price was politically motivated. Motivated was the result of widespread missing misinformation and had no merit" Backs Venus Johnson "is the most qualified"

About half of the callers so far who've stated a preference have named both Dickson/Esposito. An even number supports one of the other five.

Another All of Us or None rep, says she is a 3rd gen Oaklander, understands crime, her brother was murdered. But she says that the recall was bought and paid for by "special interests"

She also said: "Violent crime rates have actually gone down, if you are into facts. Yet when I was growing up, my friends were dying all the time. Where was SAFE then? Where was chamber of commerce? Where were these HOAs? We want to be safe, but locking people up doesn't"

Several speakers have claimed that people involved in SAFE are paid

Reissa Jaffe: "if mass incarceration was the way to have public safety, we would already have it", backs Venus Johnson, while also noting that no one should worry that someone equivalent to Price is among the candidates, none are.

It's wild that many members of SAFE are on record opposing RCV, which ALCO doesn't have. But BOS is using an RCV structure, and SAFE is using an RCV tactic of creating a slate to exploit that.

Elgin Lowe is the candidate with the next most advocacy, also a current Deputy DA.

A speaker noting that O'Malley's office was considered disorganized.

Jean Moses from Faith in Action East Bay backs Venus Johnson.

Speaker is with Care First, Jails Last, is an attorney "cannot rely solely on Santa Rita...costs taxpayers millions every year in lawsuits for deaths that were avoidable"

"We need a DA that understands that the victim offender dichotomy isn't helpful and isn't going to contribute to important initiatives like addressing the rampant problem of racial discrimination in death penalty cases in Alameda County"

Speaker, who is a law professor, notes that SAFE candidates didn't appear at the independent forums, says she's shocked at SAFE's dishonest rhetoric and threats

Several speakers have mentioned the County's approved initiative Care First, Jails Last and have said that Johnson is the candidate to carry out its vision.

ACLU rep Haile does not endorse a DA, but says BOS should appoint a DA who will fight for immigrant rights; also should consider bad practices unearthed by Price DA admin in death penalty cases.

As the night has gone on, advocacy for Johnson has caught up to Dickson/Esposito; there's more endorsements for Johnson or other 5 as a question of public comment from 100 speakers.

Another speaker notes Esposito's backing by O'Malley "really concerned about O'Malley's endorsement of Esposito"

I don't think anyone imagined how politicized the interim DA process would become. It's absolutely true that the people involved in SAFE individually spent and disbursed millions trying to affect Oakland and DA elections

Color of Change rep also supports Johnson or candidate other than Dickson/Esposito: "just because the county voted to recall Pamela Price, it does not mean that they voted for SAFE's candidates or values"

Chaney Turner from Oakland Rising notes some of the commentary about wanting to get back to another time: "what are we trying to go back to a time when Black, Brown people were being killed with no accountability?"

Andrea Luna Boca Negra: "I am an elected member of the ACCC, but I'm also deeply rooted in East Oakland...please do not vote for the candidate that was pushed by SAFE, because it makes us no better than Elon Musk, it shows to people that these elections can be bought"

Haubert is allowing candidates to make a last statement:

At this point, they've given far deeper level of commentary, so I won't quote them here unless they say something significant or wild.

Dickson, who is backed by an incredibly political org, says she's disappointed by the "politics" in the process. "I didn't know the people from SAFE" when she took on the candidacy. Seems like the SAFE position, everyone else is political but SAFE

Dickson also said she wants to "tamp down all this political rhetoric about this office, because this office wasn't political". Quite a claim.

Elgin Lowe, a Deputy DA, says when Price came in, she asked for his help and he gave it...he passed opportunity to lay criticism on Price. Says he's about the office not the politics.

BOS is back for deliberation.

Haubert: "We have to stop criminalizing mental illness and poverty, it's not a crime to have mental illness or be poor..." he says that this decision is the toughest in 22 years of elected service.

Haubert says his criteria are: "People in ALCO, district first, public safety, electability for stability, and effective leader"

Marquez: "the goal is to stabilize restore best practices and build trust with stakeholders and within office of DA" she says all 7 candidates are phenomenal.

Marquez: "There is a great need to stabilize basic operations and services provided to the public, staff training and performance, organizational culture. There's also need to restore communication and local relationships amongst public, public safety and [DA's office]"

Marquez noted importance of an outsider pov. Interesting.

As far as deliberation goes, Marquez says she'd want to narrow down the list before voting to Lowe, Louis, Dickson and Johnson

Miley says he thinks its unfortunate that this has become so polarized and its a tough decision

Handy rubric for the vote

My mistake, it's Dickson and Johnson. Miley says he's disturbed by comments about Johnson and Bonta. "not a puppet of Rob Bonta...and I consider Bonta a friend"

Miley says he supported O'Malley and thus would be happy to have Esposito be in office. "for people to criticize Nancy O'Malley really annoys me"

Miley says Dickson and Johnson would be the best...

IMO of this reporter would be that the BOS would feel leery about getting too aligned with SAFE, especially because it's not clear that SAFE actually had any influence on voters, but we'll see.

Now Tam: she says she asked a judge who has experience with nearly all candidates, "mindful of comments we've been getting...here and now and meeting the needs of the time when immigrant rights are being threatened and have to have DA''s office that understands needs of families"

Tam says that in order to carry out BOS initiatives with Cares First, Jails Last, etc, they need a functioning DA's office. She says that Esposito is her first choice. "of all the candidates, she is the one who has the most experience in DA's office"

Tam says her second choice is Dickson. Not exactly a surprise here, Tam is very much aligned with real estate interests.

Bas: says she appreciates the candidates' willingness to endure the arduous process.

Bas says she's drawing on experience living in Oakland 27 years, 6 years on Council: says she's looking a strong vision for the office to restore trust and confidence with the community, victims of both community violence and state violence

Bas says she's wants a DA who will equitably consider immigration issues and police misconduct; and that the office is well managed and DA's office can leverage additional resources

Bas says that she's still getting emails, "in my district, northern part of county, the call isn't to go back to a set of values before Price was elected, the call is to move forward"

Bas: a majority of voters who voted in 2022 wanted reform from the office and more justice for families who've been impacted by the criminal legal system. She says 53% of voters in her district voted against the recall

Bas says Johnson is her number one choice.

Bas notes Johnson's answer to questionaire "Every member of our community has a right to feel safe. Our job is to ensure that happens...has 2 decades of local, state experience securing resources. leading operations and programs on gun violence, theft, trafficking, hate crimes

Bas: numerous orgs that we've already heard from who have experience of working with, including those who are leaders with care first jails last and reimagining adult justice, as well as those who have actually implemented the ceasefire strategy or and are continuing it today.

Bas also says she can be a viable candidate in 26. 28. She also pushes back on issue of "stepping stone", she says this is the job she wants...we would be lucky to have her. Her management experience is exceptional, led transitions at CoCo DA's office

Haubert moves on to first vote:

Marquez: Dickson/Johnson; Tam: Esposito and Dickson; Miley: Johnson and Dickson; Bas: Johnson; Haubert: Dickson/Esposito

Outcome of Round 1

The only contenders now are Dickson, Esposito and Johnson

Marquez: Dixon; Tam: Esposito; Miley: Dickson, Johnson; Bas: Johnson; Haubert: Dickson/Esposito

Now all three are forwarded to last round, final vote:

Dickson wins. Bas voted for Johnson, the rest voted for Dickson or Esposito

Bas "I want to go on record supporting our new DA, I think its really important that we are aligned as we go forward"