Politico.com: on Crime
Chuck Herbster:
Contributed to a pro-death penalty initiative
In an interview, Herbster insisted that he had no animosity toward Ricketts and said he was baffled by the governor's decision to come out against him. He said he voted for Ricketts in both of his general elections, contributed to his
first campaign and donated to his 2015 inaugural. Herbster recalled that shortly after taking office, Ricketts invited him to breakfast and asked for a contribution to a pro-death penalty initiative, which Herbster agreed to.
Source: Politico.com on 2022 Nebraska Gubernatorial race
Nov 2, 2021
Gavin Newsom:
Spared 737 people on California's death row
As the most populous state and the country's biggest economy, Newsom's actions carry outsize weight--and are guaranteed outsize publicity.Consider the national attention it garnered when Newsom signed an executive order in March halting executions--
sparing 737 people on California's death row. Witness the proclamation his office wrote last month "welcoming women to California to fully exercise their reproductive rights" after a wave of conservative states took steps to limit abortion.
Newsom is outspoken on immigration, traveling to El Salvador earlier this year in his first international trip as governor.
"We're going to get it,''
Newsom insists. "We're committed to universal health care. Universal health care means everybody--We will lead a massive expansion of health care, and that's a major deviation from the past.''
Source: Politico.com on 2018 California Gubernatorial race
Jun 17, 2019
Joe Biden:
1992: pro-death penalty; 2019: congrats on ending it
Joe Biden said in a 1992 speech that criminal justice legislation he was pushing was so strict that "we do everything but hang people for jaywalking." Two years later, his signature crime bill made dozens of additional offenses punishable by death.
But in a little-noticed remark earlier this month in New Hampshire, Biden seemed to offer a decidedly different stance on the death penalty.
Fielding a question from a voter aligned with the ACLU about how he'd reduce the federal prison population,
Biden gave a long and winding answer: He defended his crime bill, advocated for reforms to the criminal justice system involving nonviolent and drug offenders, and said he was proud of his work with Barack Obama to cut the federal prison population by
3,800.
Then, unprompted, Biden added: "By the way, congratulations to ya'll ending the death penalty here." Biden's campaign would not comment on his answer, or shed light on whether he's changed his position on the death penalty.
Source: Politico.com on 2020 Democratic primary
Jun 20, 2019
Joe Biden:
No police reform commission despite campaign promise
PROMISE MADE: (CNN Town Hall, Sep 17, 2020): I will bring together police chiefs, police officers, the civil rights leadership to [decide on] more rigorous background checks on those who apply to become police officers, teach people how to
de-escalate.PROMISE BROKEN: (Politico.com, 4/11/21): The White House is putting the creation of a national police oversight commission on hold, nixing a Biden campaign pledge to establish one within his first 100 days. "The
administration made the considered judgment that a police commission, at this time, would not be the most effective way to deliver on our top priority in this area, which is to sign the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act into law," a spokesperson said.
ANALYSIS: The White House said it consulted with national civil rights organizations and police unions. Both entities made clear to the administration that they thought a commission was not necessary and likely redundant.
Source: Politico.com on Biden Administration promises
Apr 11, 2021
Pope Francis:
Abolish the death penalty; it precludes rehabilitation
Francis touched on several hot-button policy issues during his speech to lawmakers; one of his sharpest messages came on the topic of the death penalty. He called for its "global abolition," arguing that any punishment should never preclude the chance
for rehabilitation."I am convinced that this way is the best," Francis said. "Since every life is sacred, every human person is endowed with an inalienable dignity, and society can only benefit from the rehabilitation of those convicted of crimes."
Source: Politico.com coverage of Pope Francis' 2015 U.S. visit
Sep 24, 2015
Susan Rice:
Supports George Floyd Justice in Policing Act
PROMISE MADE: (Biden at CNN Town Hall, Sep 17, 2020): I will bring together police chiefs, police officers, the civil rights leadership to [decide on] more rigorous background checks on those who apply to become police officers, teach
people how to de-escalate.PROMISE BROKEN: (Politico.com, 4/11/21): The White House is putting the creation of a national police oversight commission on hold, nixing a Biden campaign pledge to establish one within his first 100 days. "The
administration made the considered judgment that a police commission, at this time, would not be the most effective way to deliver on our top priority in this area, which is to sign the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act into law," Susan Rice said.
ANALYSIS: The White House said it consulted with national civil rights organizations and police unions. Both entities made clear to the administration that they thought a commission was not necessary and likely redundant.
Source: Politico.com on Biden Administration promises
Apr 11, 2021
Val Demings:
Police work should be about building communities
Asked whether she was a reformer during her time as chief, Demings responded, "Some of my predecessors certainly thought so. They told me that the community-oriented policing programs we were doing had 'nothing to do with police work.'
I disagreed. Building fair, safe, strong communities is exactly what police work can and should be."
Source: Politico.com e-zine on 2022 Florida Senate race
Jun 14, 2016
Alex Mooney:
Jan. 6 not a domestic terrorist attack, just a protest
Rep. Alex Mooney (R-W.Va.) called it "insulting" to classify the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol as a domestic terrorist attack during an interview with a West Virginia radio station alongside his primary opponent, Rep. David McKinley
(R-W.Va.). "It was a protest. It was a protest. That's what it was. A few people went in and the law should be implemented for those who broke it."--Mooney on West Virginia Metro News' "Talkline."
Source: Politico.com on 2024 West Virginia Senate race
May 5, 2022
Chris Christie:
If Trump is convicted, I can't imagine pardoning him
Would he pardon Trump? "I have to tell you the truth, I can't completely answer that until I know what he was charged with and convicted of," Christie said. "I'm not going to dodge the answer. But I will tell you as a prosecutor, if
I believe someone has gotten a full and fair trial in front of a jury of their peers, and especially someone in public life, who committed those crimes when they held a public trust, I can't imagine pardoning him."
Source: Politico.com blog on 2024 Presidential hopefuls
Jun 6, 2023
Page last updated: Aug 15, 2024