The Democratic primary race for Manhattan District Attorney, taking place on Tuesday, witnessed the victorious reelection of Alvin Bragg who is widely known for his role as leading prosecutor in the unprecedented hush-money lawsuit involving President Donald Trump. This victory paves the way for Bragg to proceed to the general elections in November. It’s important to note that a notable segment, specifically around 70%, of the Manhattan electorate identifies as Democratic.
Bragg’s successful campaign saw him surpass Patrick Timmins, a well-regarded figure with experience as a lawyer, law lecturer, and previously an assistant district attorney in Bronx. Looking ahead to the general elections, Bragg will be contesting against Maud Maron, a longtime public defender recognized for her previous campaigns as a Democrat for Congress and New York City Council.
Bragg’s profile as a prosecutor of national standing has grown over the years. As the District Attorney, Bragg manages a team of nearly 600 lawyers working in one of the largest local prosecutors’ offices across the United States. His reputation was further elevated when his office initiated the hush-money lawsuit.
While Cyrus R. Vance Jr., Bragg’s predecessor and fellow Democrat, devoted substantial resources to investigating various activities of Trump over the years, it was Bragg who launched the notable hush-money trial. This case centered on the allegations that porn actress Stormy Daniels was paid a considerable sum, $130,000, to remain silent about an asserted 2006 sexual encounter with Trump, who was then married.
The aforementioned payment was made a few weeks prior to the 2016 Presidential elections through Trump’s personal legal advisor and was recorded as a legal expense in Trump’s company’s financial records. Following these allegations, Trump maintained his innocence and vehemently denied any sexual involvement with Daniels.
However, a legal breakthrough took place last year when a jury found Trump guilty of falsifying business records in 33 instances, which marked the first-ever felony conviction for a U.S. commander in chief. Trump, undoubtedly perturbed by this guilty verdict, has taken steps to appeal it.
Notably, Bragg, at 51, had a successive journey from being a civil rights advocate, to serving as a federal prosecutor, to shortly becoming a lead deputy to New York’s attorney general and eventually being elected the District Attorney. A Harlem native who graduated from the prestigious Harvard University, he has the honor of being the first African American to assume this post.
However, Bragg’s term had a challenging beginning. Mere days after his election in 2022, he sparked controversy by instructing his workforce not to prosecute certain varieties of cases and to refrain from demanding bail or incarceration in some others.
His directive was met with strong criticism by key figures in law enforcement, including the police commissioner, pushing Bragg to publicly acknowledge the ‘confusion’ created by his directives. He adopted a defensive position by emphasizing that his office was not lightening its stance on serious crimes.
Nevertheless, the contention continued to provide ammunition for his detractors. Trump, in particular, used this opportunity to label Bragg as being ‘soft on crime,’ an accusation which was prominently echoed on Timmins’s campaign platform.
Timmins went on to make a direct connection to the contentious memo, attributing the perceived surge in crime and perceived disorder on the streets and subway to this directive. According to Timmins’ website, the memo has ‘increased crime and brought about a perception of chaos in the subway and on our streets.’
On the issue of campaign funds, there was a significant disparity. Timmins, who secured approximately $154,000 in funding from January of 2022, lagged far behind Bragg, who topped the charts with an impressive $2.2 million.
During his campaign, Timmins laid out additional goals beyond crime reduction, notably aiming to prevent an excess of cases being dismissed due to legal time limits, and placing precedence on addressing hate crimes, among other issues.
While this race has stirred up considerable interest and controversy, it signals the shifting dynamics of Manhattan’s legal landscape. With the general election inching closer, the public and political attention now turns to the main event in November.
The post Alvin Bragg Reemerges Victorious in Democratic Primary Race for Manhattan DA appeared first on Real News Now.
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