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Elizabeth Warren on Crime
Massachusetts Senator; head of CFPB
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Criminal justice system is racist front to back
Elizabeth Warren delivered what she called "the hard truth about our criminal justice system: It's racist ... I mean front to back."While speaking at a historically black college, the Massachusetts senator identified some of the system's failures:
disproportionate arrests of African-Americans for petty drug possession; an overloaded public defender system; and state laws that keep convicted felons from voting even after their sentences are complete.
Warren was participating in a Q&A session
hosted by Congressional Black Caucus Chairman Cedric Richmond at Dillard University in New Orleans. She was among several possible Democratic White House contenders who spoke at Netroots Nation, an annual conference for progressives.
Other than on
criminal justice, Warren did not focus her answers on race, offering her usual creed about bending public policy back toward working-class Americans. She called for support for unions, massive investments in infrastructure and more spending on education.
Source: Associated Press on 2018 Massachusetts Senate race
, Aug 4, 2018
Supports anti-gang, safe neighborhood initiatives
Elizabeth will support our first responders, the enforcement of tough gun laws to keep weapons out of the hands of criminals, and anti-trafficking efforts. Elizabeth supports community policing, anti-gang, and safe neighborhood initiatives because
she knows that good public safety happens when police, community leaders, clergy, district service providers, prosecutors and sheriffs work together. She supports substance abuse treatment programs that reduce recidivism and help people get jobs.
Source: 2016 Veepstakes: campaign website ElizabethWarren.com
, Jul 2, 2016
Unfair: Kid in trouble for petty theft; CEO steals billions
It's not equal justice when a kid gets thrown in jail for stealing a car, while a CEO gets a huge raise when his company steals billions. It's not equal justice when someone hooked on opioids gets locked up for buying pills on the street,
but bank executives get off scot-free for laundering nearly a billion dollars of drug cartel money." ÿWarren said it is time for Congress to pass criminal justice reform easing the severe sentences for nonviolent offenses.
Source: Huffington Post on 2016 Veepstakes: "Justice rigged"
, Feb 3, 2016
Advocates stiff punishment for corporate offenders
Warren insists that the bigger problem is a failure to "use the tools Congress has already provided to impose meaningful accountability on corporate offenders." She argues that bank regulators had the tools they needed to stop the 2008 financial crisis,
but chose not to. Despite multiple promises by President Obama's Department of Justice to stiffen enforcement of corporate misconduct, "Accountability has been shockingly weak."
Source: TheIntercept.com on 2016 Veepstakes
, Jan 29, 2016
Oppose death penalty but won't fight it for Marathon Bomber
Massachusetts Democrats, who also personally oppose the death penalty, straggled into line behind Attorney General Eric Holder's decision to seek the death penalty against the so-called Marathon bomber because of the targeting of an iconic event;
Dzhokhar Tsarnaev.Senator Elizabeth Warren said she is against the death penalty but respects Holder's decision. Senator Ed Markey said he is against the death penalty, except "in the case of terrorism." Martha Coakley, Marty Walsh,
Juliette Kayyem, and Don Berwick similarly hedged.
There's a Democrat in the White House, and Massachusetts Democrats don't want to cross him or his AG. There's also the posturing aspect of Holder's decision: seeking the death penalty increases
the government's leverage to get a guilty verdict in return for life without parole. And to Massachusetts politicians, "Boston Strong" has come to mean looking tough to the nation on terrorism, not "squishy on crime."
Source: Joan Vennochi OpEd in Boston Globe
, Jan 31, 2014
Rated 64% by the NAPO, indicating a moderate stance on police issues.
Warren scores 64% by the NAPO on crime & police issues
Ratings by the National Association of Police Organizations indicate support or opposition to issues of importance to police and crime. The organization's self-description: "The National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO) is a coalition of police units and associations from across the United States. NAPO was organized for the purpose of advancing the interests of America's law enforcement officers through legislative advocacy, political action, and education.
"Increasingly, the rights and interests of law enforcement officers have been the subject of legislative, executive, and judicial action in the nation’s capital. NAPO works to influence the course of national affairs where law enforcement interests are concerned. The following list includes examples of NAPO’s accomplishments:
- Enactment of the Fair Sentencing Act
- Enactment of the National AMBER Alert Act
- Enactment of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act
- Enactment of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act
- Enactment of the Law Enforcement Officers' Safety Act (Right to Carry Legislation)
VoteMatch scoring for the NAPO ratings is as follows:
- 0%-50%: soft on crime and police issues;
- 50%-75%: mixed record on crime and police issues;
- 75%-100%: tough on crime and police issues.
Source: NAPO ratings on Congress and politicians 2014_NAPO on Dec 31, 2014
Page last updated: Mar 16, 2019