Jewish son of jailed far-left radicals elected San Francisco district attorney
Chesa Boudin, a public defender and former translator for Venezuela strongman Chavez, wins tight race after promising series of progressive reforms
Chesa Boudin, a US former public defender who was raised by leaders of a far-left group and who previously worked for Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez, has been elected the new San Francisco district attorney.
Boudin, 39, who is Jewish, won a tightly contested race against Suzy Loftus, who had been appointed interim district attorney weeks before the public vote.
After four days of vote-counting, and with some 1,200 ballots still left to count, Boudin had 85,950 votes to Loftus’s 83,511, leading the latter to concede defeat, local media reported Saturday.
On his progressive campaign trail, Boudin promised to take action to reduce incarceration rates and fight police brutality and racial bias in the criminal justice system.
He also highlighted his unique life story.
Boudin’s parents, Kathy Boudin and David Gilbert, both belonged to far-left group Weather Underground. In 1981, when he was just 14 months old, both his parents were convicted and jailed over their role as getaway drivers in an armored car robbery in Rockland County, New York, in which two policemen were killed.
He was then raised in Chicago by Weather Underground leaders Bill Ayers and Bernardine Dohrn.
During his career as a public defender, Boudin served as a translator for the far-left socialist administration of now-deceased Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez.
Boudin’s mother served 20 years in jail until she was granted parole in 2003. His father, now aged 75, was sentenced to three life sentences and won’t be eligible for parole until 2058.
“The people of San Francisco have sent a powerful and clear message: It’s time for radical change to how we envision justice. I’m humbled to be a part of this movement that is unwavering in its demand for transformation,” Boudin said in a statement following his win.
Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, who endorsed Boudin, congratulated him on his “historic victory.”
Now is the moment to fundamentally transform our racist and broken criminal justice system by ending mass incarceration, the failed war on drugs and the criminalization of poverty. Congratulations @chesaboudin on your historic victory! https://t.co/2CiM1sFo5c
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) November 10, 2019
