Monroe County DA under scrutiny after Zeldin incident

[lapucelle]

Did a Republican DA deliberately undercharge Rep. Zeldin's attacker with a bail-ineligible offense so that Republicans could capitalize on the suspect's release to attack Democrats and Governor Hokul on NY's bail reform law?

Monroe County DA under scrutiny after Zeldin incident

State data shows charged offense in case of candidate's would-be attacker was rare, only filed once in Monroe County in 2021

ALBANY — U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin said that just minutes after he was accosted by a veteran with a sharp object at a campaign event last week, the Republican gubernatorial candidate conferred offstage with Monroe County District Attorney Sandra J. Doorley.

"She said, 'I guess I'm not going to be able to be in charge of this (case),'" Zeldin said at a news conference Monday. "Because she was present; she was a witness. So it was her instant decision ... to recuse herself, and I support that decision."

The district attorney now finds herself facing criticism on two fronts: an ethics debate about her connections to Zeldin's campaign as well as a legal debate over her office's handling of David G. Jakubonis, who was carrying a sharp key-ring-style defense tool when he approached Zeldin at the event outside Rochester on Thursday evening.

Zeldin said Doorley had informed his campaign months ago that she would "love to be" a campaign co-chair, but after speaking with the District Attorneys Association of New York (DAASNY) had decided against it. But an April news release from the campaign lists Doorley as a campaign co-chair — the only district attorney on the list — and there are no records indicating otherwise. As recently as Monday morning, she was still listed as a co-chair on the campaign's website. (Zeldin claimed the posting was merely an archival news release.)

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Contradicting Zeldin, her spokeswoman said the need for Doorley to recuse herself did not cross the district attorney's mind until Friday morning, following Jakubonis' initial court appearance, where he was charged with attempted assault in the second degree, a nonviolent felony.

After he was released on his own recognizance without bail, Zeldin and other Republicans reacted with expressions of outrage, claiming that the defendant's freedom was a sign that Democrat-backed changes to bail laws were imperiling New Yorkers.

But the decision by Doorley's office to not press more severe charges against Jakubonis was immediately ridiculed by Democrats, who noted that the Monroe County district attorney's office is known for pressing heavier charges than prosecutors in many other counties. According to a review by the Times Union, state data shows the prosecutor's office has sought bail on criminal cases at higher rates than in most highly populated counties in New York.

https://www.timesunion.com/state/article/Monroe-County-DA-under-scrutiny-for-closeness-to-17327829.php?IPID=Times-Union-HP-latest-news

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[gratuitous]

1. This whole episode smells like low tide

Gets more sordid by the day. And I don't think anyone involved counted on the feds getting interested in this episode.

[LessAspin]

2. Scott Hechinger

has been all over this...

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

Looks like it was staged.

[lapucelle]

3. It's going to make Republican candidates attacking Democrats over bail reform

much more challenging, to say the least.

And a suspect accused of a violent attack (Republicans where characterizing it an assassination attempt) was released back into the community on his own recognizance at 3:00 AM.

I bet Republicans wanted to use the "he was back on the streets in hours" talking point in ads.