Left-wing billionaire George Soros is extending his foray into local politics by funding “progressive” candidates for district attorney (DA) in communities throughout Northern California and across the nation.
The San Francisco Chronicle reports:
Billionaire philanthropist George Soros has dropped at least $275,000 into district attorney races throughout Northern California, supporting candidates who advocate reduced incarceration and other criminal justice reforms.
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This year, the liberal financier has funneled contributions into the California Justice & Public Safety Political Action Committee, which is paying for campaign mailers and advertisements in Alameda and Contra Costa counties, as well as Sacramento, ahead of the June 5 state primary.
In Alameda County, the committee has spent $131,158 in support of Oakland civil rights attorney Pamela Price, a candidate known for her sharp criticism of police. She is challenging District Attorney Nancy O’Malley — a more mainstream progressive seeking a third term — on the June ballot.
The Chronicle notes that Soros’s involvement has triggered infighting among Democrats, and resentment from those candidates who consider themselves “progressive” but who find that Soros is funding their opponents.
As Breitbart News noted last week, Soros is also involved in DA races elsewhere in the state. In San Diego County, for example, he is backing Geneviéve Jones Wright.
The Chronicle reports that Soros’s interest in DA races has to do with his long-standing enthusiasm for prison and sentencing reform.
Conveniently, however, Soros’s involvement also allows him to back prosecutors who might be particularly motivated to target Republican officials.
Soros-backed St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner in Missouri, for example, targeted Republican Gov. Eric Greitens, who was recently indicted and may soon be impeached.
Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News. He was named to Forward’s 50 “most influential” Jews in 2017. He is the co-author of How Trump Won: The Inside Story of a Revolution, which is available from Regnery. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.