Unfortunately, campaigning has become more about fantasy than facts. In the Alameda County District Attorney race this tragedy has reached an appalling low partly because it is fueled by outside money. Billionaire George Soros’ PAC has dumped hundreds of thousands of dollars into an effort to unseat our own District Attorney, Nancy O’Malley.

This is very dangerous because a misinformed billionaire has funded a smear campaign against one of the most progressive and innovative DAs in the state. It’s time to set the record straight.

Nancy O’Malley has been a game changer in our county especially in the field of trafficking, domestic violence, and rehabilitation.  Here are a few of her accomplishments.

She created HEAT (Human Exploitation and Trafficking) Watch which has impacted more than 5,000 trafficked girls and boys, of which 60% are African American and Hispanic. She founded the Alameda County Family Justice Center which is visited each year by over 14,000 survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, trafficking, elder and child abuse. Every nine seconds in the United States a person is abused, according to the federal Department of Justice. Nancy O’Malley has provided a safeguard for victims and their children who have been victims of  sexual assault and domestic here in Alameda County for the last eight years.

She has been a staunch supporter of the Men of Valor program, designed to employ young men who are coming out of prison.  She is a partner in the OK initiative designed to keep youth from going to juvenile hall. The OK program has reduced the number of young men at juvenile hall from 365 three years ago down to the present number of 65.

Scarier than the lies about O’Malley is the truth about her opponent. Her opponent recently stated she would only prosecute felony crimes – not misdemeanors. This prompted outrage from the community of survivors who rely upon the District Attorney’s office to interrupt the cycle of violence in their homes.

For these reasons O’Malley has been endorsed by Governor Jerry Brown, Senators Kamala Harris and Dianne Feinstein, Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguín, the Sierra Club, the Democratic Party, The Labor Council, and many others. We must not fall victim to a billionaire smear campaign that is calculated to destroy the good work for the people and the compelling leadership of Nancy O’Malley, former Oakland prosecutor for 33 years and the first woman to be Alameda County DA in its 165-year history!

We are fine with rough and tumble campaigns but not ones fraught with lies funded by outsiders. Let’s set the record straight. Nancy O’Malley is the DA for Alameda County.

Laurie Capitelli is the former Berkeley Councilman for District 5 and President, Berkeley Democratic Club; Deborah Matthews Vice President, Berkeley Democratic Club, and former Berkeley City Council candidate for District 3; and Stephen Murphy is Associate Director, Family Justice Center and a former Berkeley City Council candidate for District 5.
Laurie Capitelli is the former Berkeley Councilman for District 5 and President, Berkeley Democratic Club; Deborah Matthews Vice President, Berkeley Democratic Club, and former Berkeley City Council candidate for District 3; and Stephen Murphy is Associate Director, Family Justice Center and a former Berkeley City Council candidate for District 5.