Brooke Jenkins, who worked for Budin before quitting and then working to recall him, is really an interesting figure because she's a black DA. Republicans are using crime as a wedge issue and Democrats are kind of divided about what to do with it. And so I think it shows again and again how easy it is to get people going on this thing if you use it cynically like where the Republicans are.
From Donald Trump to George Floyd and Tyre Nichols, the last five years have changed our national conversation about public safety and policing. That’s particularly true in San Francisco, where progressive prosecutor Chesa Boudin lost his seat in a heated recall election last year, and today’s guest — SF District Attorney Brooke Jenkins — stepped into the powerful role. In the months since she assumed office, the Black and Latina DA has spoken of the city’s “lawlessness,” revoked plea deals, allowed more teenagers to be prosecuted as adults and pushed for more policing of drug dealing. Her critics say she’s too conservative for the notoriously liberal city. She says she’s creating consequences for those who break the law.
As Kara tells Jenkins, “Only in a city like San Francisco could they call you a conservative.”
You can find Kara and Nayeema on Twitter @karaswisher and @nayeema.
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