Putting the Backlash Against Progressive Prosecutors in Perspective
The Political Scene | The New Yorker
The New Yorker
4.3 • 3.9K Ratings
🗓️ 16 June 2022
⏱️ 35 minutes
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Summary
A widespread view that cities have become less safe in recent months is transforming local politics. Eric Adams became Mayor of New York City on a tough-on-crime platform. Anxiety about public safety has also played a significant role in the ongoing Los Angeles mayoral race. In San Francisco, Chesa Boudin—a reform-minded district attorney—was recalled by voters by a significant margin last week. Boudin had instituted a number of progressive reforms, from liberalizing bail policies to reducing jail populations through diversion programs. But those changes were buried by the perception that the city had descended into a state of chaos. His recall has been cast as a referendum on crime and on the public’s attitudes toward progressive criminal-justice policies. What were the voters in San Francisco blaming on Boudin? The New Yorker staff writer Benjamin Wallace-Wells recently wrote about Boudin’s recall. He speaks with the New Yorker senior editor Tyler Foggatt.
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| 0:48.8 | Welcome to the political scene. |
| 0:50.9 | I'm Tyler Foggett, a senior editor at The New Yorker, where I edit stories about politics, |
| 0:55.1 | culture, tech, education, and more. There's a widespread view that big cities have become less |
| 1:00.6 | safe in recent months. In New York City, Eric Adams, a former cop, became mayor after running on |
| 1:06.5 | a tough-on-crime platform. And in Los Angeles, crime has been front and center in the ongoing |
| 1:11.3 | mayoral race. Last week, in San Francisco, the progressive district attorney, Chesa Boudin, |
| 1:16.9 | was recalled by voters. Budin's recall has been cast as a referendum on crime and on public |
| 1:22.7 | attitudes to progressive criminal justice policies more broadly. But when we say crime, what do we mean? |
| 1:29.0 | What were the voters of San Francisco blaming on Boudin? My colleague, Benjamin Wallace Wells, |
| 1:34.4 | has written about Boudin and about his recall. He's a staff writer at The New Yorker. |
| 1:38.7 | Hi, Ben. Thank you so much for joining me. Yeah, great to be here. |
| 1:43.1 | So Chesa Boudin has a fascinating personal story. Could |
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