{"id":35852,"date":"2022-09-19T23:21:17","date_gmt":"2022-09-19T23:21:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cjstudents.com\/?p=35852"},"modified":"2022-09-19T23:21:17","modified_gmt":"2022-09-19T23:21:17","slug":"i-wouldnt-describe-myself-as-progressive","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cjstudents.com\/index.php\/2022\/09\/19\/i-wouldnt-describe-myself-as-progressive\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018I Wouldn\u2019t Describe Myself as Progressive\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\nEnglish<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Maurice Chenier thinks that criminal justice reforms have made San Francisco unsafe, which inspired his latest bid to become the city\u2019s next top prosecutor.<\/p>\n

Born and raised in San Francisco, Chenier moved to Los Angeles after law school and only returned to the city more than a decade later to take care of his ailing father. <\/p>\n

In the mid-2000s, because of separate murder cases involving a friend and family member, his discontent with the criminal justice system led to his political debut in 2007. But he wound up dropping out of the DA race against then-incumbent Kamala Harris.<\/p>\n

This time, the Democrat-turned-independent is billing himself as the \u201cmost pro-police\u201d candidate in the running.<\/p>\n

The Standard caught up with all four contenders in the November DA race<\/a>. Below is a transcript of the conversation with Chenier, edited for clarity and length.<\/p>\n

Maurice Chenier describes his career and legal background in an interview with The Standard on Sept. 13, 2022. | Video by Sophie Bearman and Jesse Rogala<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When you talked about progressive approach, did you refer to former District Attorney Chesa Boudin\u2019s approach?<\/h2>\n

No. I have no criticism of Chesa Boudin at all.\u00a0<\/p>\n

I believe that this city should change from an elected DA to an appointed DA. In that manner, if the person is not competent, you can get rid of him much easier than spending millions of dollars in an election. But that\u2019s not what\u2019s going to go on right here, right now.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m referring to [how] since 2004, 2005 there\u2019s been a progressive approach to crime. And I\u2019m saying, \u201cOK, we tried that. So why don\u2019t we try a new approach?\u201d Because a progressive approach obviously is not working, especially as it goes to violent crimes.<\/p>\n

This is not an indictment of \u2026 Kamala Harris, George Gascon, Chesa Boudin, or Brooke Jenkins. I\u2019m just saying, you\u2019ve had 20 years to make the difference. In 20 years, since 2004, roughly 20 years, nothing. It hasn\u2019t changed. It\u2019s gotten worse. So I\u2019m saying, \u201cWell, let me try.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chenier says that he did vote in the recall campaign, but declines to share which way he voted in an interview with The Standard on Sept. 13, 2022. | Video by Sophie Bearman and Jesse Rogala<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Did you support or oppose the recall of Chesa Boudin?<\/h2>\n

Voting history is absolutely confidential. I don\u2019t discuss who I voted for, and what I voted against.\u00a0<\/p>\n

I could tell you in general, I vote for conservative measures, especially with respect to crime. That\u2019s all I can tell you.<\/p>\n

You mentioned your nephew was killed in San Francisco in 2005<\/a> and how you were upset about the way prosecutors handled the case. What do you think the DA\u2019s office did wrong?<\/h2>\n

They didn\u2019t put on several witnesses at the grand jury. Plain and simple. Multiple witnesses were not called. And I got excuses about that.<\/p>\n

In fact, I went down the street and found a witness and took the statement. So it wasn\u2019t that hard. I found him in less than 30 minutes. So I just think there were a lot of things that could have been done.<\/p>\n

There are four candidates in this race. We have a criminal defense attorney, civil rights attorney, an appointed DA who\u2019s a prosecutor. So who do you think might be the most law-and-order, tough-on-crime, pro-police candidate?<\/h2>\n

I think I\u2019m the most pro-police candidate. What I saw in 2004, 2005 was shameful\u2014the fighting between the DA and the police department. You can tell the police, \u201cI\u2019m not going to fight with you. I\u2019m going to have an open-door policy.\u201d<\/p>\n

I want to be clear: if you\u2019re looking for someone who\u2019s going to pacify the criminals and try to make excuses, I\u2019m not the guy. I wouldn\u2019t describe myself as progressive.<\/p>\n

Chenier says he is \u2018the most pro-police candidate\u2019 in the race for District Attorney in an interview with The Standard on Sept. 13, 2022. | Video by Sophie Bearman and Jesse Rogala<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

You\u2019re not a fan of progressive reform in the criminal justice system, I guess.<\/h2>\n

I didn\u2019t say that. I said I\u2019m not a fan of it as it pertains to violent crimes.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\nSee Also<\/span><\/p>\n
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My nephew was murdered in 2005. Earlier that year, the suspect was arrested with a loaded modified weapon, and he already had some violations, and he was charged with a crime. He was convicted, but he had no felony time. He gets out. Six months later, he kills my nephew. That is the type of progressive crime approach that I\u2019m targeting.<\/p>\n

As far as helping people get better, I\u2019m OK with that. I think that I am a fan of getting better, but to me, there are certain crimes that go beyond the scope of rehabilitation.<\/p>\n

As you may know, the Asian community has been increasingly influential in the city\u2019s politics. And the Stop Asian Hate Movement has been pushing a narrative on tougher prosecution, tougher policing. So what do you think of that kind of approach to public safety?<\/h2>\n

I\u2019m all for it. I\u2019ve been reading up on what was happening. I thought it was a disgrace. I think that any kind of hate crime should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.\u00a0<\/p>\n

I think that the Asian American community is tired of a lot of this crime, seeing the same thing that I\u2019m seeing. They\u2019re generally hardworking people, and they want law and order, and I fully support that.<\/p>\n

Since 2004, I noticed that the neighborhood where I\u2019m at now is gradually becoming more Asian. So I\u2019ve seen the influx of a lot of Asian Americans, and they\u2019re hard-working people.<\/p>\n

I am French, Indian and Black. And to my Asian brothers and sisters, I love all of them. And I do support their position of more stringent law enforcement, and I plan to do that. And if someone commits a hate crime, be it against a Black person, an Asian person, or an Indian person, believe me, they\u2019ll get the same treatment. I will do what I can to see that that person pays for the crime.<\/p>\n

You mentioned a lot of your experiences in 2004 and \u201805. Do you feel there\u2019s a disconnection between you and the current politics, current state of the city?<\/h2>\n

No, I don\u2019t. I\u2019ve voted in all the elections. I\u2019ve been up here a lot. Before I moved here in 2019, I was here literally probably five to six months out of the year because I was helping with my little niece\u2019s basketball team and all kinds of things like that. So I was involved in a lot of activities here. And I\u2019ve been seeing the crime. I\u2019ve seen the gradual deterioration.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m a native here. I grew up here. I left for a while, but I\u2019m back.<\/p>\n

Last question. You moved back to live here in 2019. Do you feel safe in the city?<\/h2>\n

No, I don\u2019t. In fact, it\u2019s funny you asked me that. When I lived in LA, I could just go to the store in the middle of the night. I think twice about that here. I feel like I can get shot or stabbed or robbed.<\/p>\n

With the state of the city now, I do not feel safe.\u00a0<\/p>\n

However, I\u2019m a male and I\u2019m strong, and I\u2019m not afraid. But you can imagine someone who\u2019s not.\u00a0<\/p>\n

I think that I can definitely make the city safer, because the message that will be sent will be, I\u2019m cooperating with the police and I plan to prosecute you if you commit a crime.<\/p>\n

\nEnglish<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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