Imprimis Podcast Summary: "Rogue Prosecutors and the Rise of Crime"

Podcast Information

• Title: Imprimis
• Host/Author: Hillsdale College
• Episode Title: Rogue Prosecutors and the Rise of Crime
• Release Date: May 9, 2024
• Description: Imprimis is the free monthly speech digest of Hillsdale College, dedicated to educating citizens and promoting civil and religious liberty by covering cultural, economic, political, and educational issues. It is one of the most widely circulated opinion publications in the nation with over six million subscribers.

Introduction

In the May 2024 episode of Imprimis, titled "Rogue Prosecutors and the Rise of Crime," Cully Stimson of the Heritage Foundation presents a critical analysis of the burgeoning movement of rogue prosecutors in the United States. Delivered at Hillsdale College's Washington, D.C. campus, the talk delves into how these prosecutors are reshaping the criminal justice landscape, often leading to increased crime rates in major American cities.

Overview of the Criminal Justice System and District Attorneys

Jacob introduces the foundational role of district attorneys (DAs) within the U.S. criminal justice system, highlighting that approximately 90% of criminal cases are handled by over 2,300 elected district attorneys across 3,143 counties (00:40). Historically, these DAs upheld their responsibilities by enforcing state criminal laws impartially, contributing significantly to the decline in crime rates since their peak in 1992 by targeting violent criminals and establishing alternatives to incarceration, such as drug courts and mental health courts (01:07).

The Emergence of the Rogue Prosecutor Movement

The narrative shifts in 2015 with the advent of the "Progressive Prosecutor" movement, heavily funded by billionaire George Soros (01:52). Cully Stimson refers to this movement more accurately as the "rogue prosecutor" movement, emphasizing its roots in Marxist ideology aiming to dismantle the American criminal justice system. Stimson asserts that this movement posits that the U.S. and its institutions, including capitalism, are inherently racist (01:58).

Key Figures and Influences in the Movement

Prominent figures such as Angela Davis, Patrisse Khan-Cullors, and Alicia Garza are identified as intellectual leaders influencing this movement (02:48). Davis's 2003 book Are Prisons Obsolete? equates prisons to modern-day slavery, while Garza and Cullors of Black Lives Matter advocate for the abolition of the carceral state, intertwining anti-racist and anti-capitalist sentiments (02:48).

Tactics and Policies of Rogue Prosecutors

The movement employs strategic financial backing and ideological campaigns to elect prosecutors who align with their agenda of reducing or eliminating traditional law enforcement practices. Jacob explains that Soros and his affiliates have invested over $40 million over the past decade and potentially up to $1 billion when considering all forms of support (05:10). These prosecutors prioritize non-traditional approaches, such as refusing to prosecute certain misdemeanors and reducing felonies to misdemeanors, under the guise of prosecutorial discretion (06:26).

Notable directives from rogue prosecutors include:

• Rachel Rawlins of Suffolk County, Boston, listed 15 misdemeanors her office would not prosecute, including trespassing and shoplifting (07:43).
• George Gascon of Los Angeles County instructed his prosecutors to decline numerous misdemeanors and refrain from adding sentencing enhancements or special circumstances that warrant harsher penalties like life without parole (08:09).

Impact on Crime Rates and Communities

The implementation of these policies has coincided with significant increases in crime rates in cities governed by rogue prosecutors. For instance:

• Philadelphia experienced an increase in homicides from an average of 271 per year before 2018 to 457 per year thereafter, with 83% of victims being Black (11:17).
• Chicago saw its annual homicide rate rise from an average of 510 per year before 2017 to 666 per year by 2022, with over 75% of victims being Black (11:56).

Jacob emphasizes that such increases surpass those seen in major military engagements, stating, "Chicago's annual murder rate dwarfs these figures" (11:56).

Electoral Responses and Current State of the Movement

Despite substantial funding and organization, the rogue prosecutor movement faces electoral challenges as voters in affected cities begin to recognize the adverse effects of rising crime rates. Examples include:

• Baltimore and San Francisco voters ousting rogue prosecutors Marilyn Mosby and Chesa Boudin respectively (12:54).
• George Gascon of Los Angeles narrowly surviving recall efforts and garnering only 25% of the primary vote in a crowded field (13:18).

Conclusions and Lessons for Voters

Cully Stimson and Jacob conclude by urging voters to pay closer attention to low-profile local races, such as district attorney elections, due to their direct impact on public safety. The episode underscores the importance of electing prosecutors who uphold the rule of law to prevent the societal decay witnessed in several major cities (13:18).

Notable Quotes

• Cully Stimson: "Our Constitution places their faith not in specific guarantees of rights. Those came later, but in a system of checks on government power." (00:33)

• Jacob: "It is no exaggeration to say that parts of Chicago on any given weekend have become domestic war zones." (11:53)

• Jacob: "This well-funded and organized movement is not about liberal versus Conservative, Democrat versus Republican, or black versus White. It is about power." (06:15)

Final Thoughts

The episode "Rogue Prosecutors and the Rise of Crime" serves as a cautionary tale about the unintended consequences of political movements within the criminal justice system. By electing prosecutors with agendas that deviate from traditional law enforcement, some cities have experienced alarming increases in crime, challenging the effectiveness and intentions of the rogue prosecutor movement.

For more insights and detailed analyses, listeners are encouraged to subscribe to Imprimis through Hillsdale College's website.