The clock is ticking for backers of an effort to recall Contra Costa County's District Attorney to rally enough support to get the proposal before voters.
Volunteers stationed themselves outside of a grocery store in Oakley Monday, asking shoppers to sign on to their effort to recall Contra Costa County District Attorney Diana Becton.
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WATCH HERE“I signed this petition to recall this district attorney. She’s the worst one we’ve had she’s soft on crime she says she’s for the people but she’s not when all these criminals don’t get prosecuted,” said Paula Flud, a recall supporter.
Backers of the recall said that Becton is too soft on crime. But the DA and her backers said that's simply not the case.
“I oppose the recall because I think DA Becton has worked hard to keep the county safe as evidenced by violent crime being at a historic low in Contra Costa,” said Contra Costa County Supervisor John Gioia.
Becton did not respond to NBC Bay Area’s request to talk on Monday but she issued a statement on social media late last week, saying “Special interests want to roll back our progress with a wasteful, misguided recall." "They are weaponizing fear, distorting facts and exploiting victims—not to serve our community, but to push their own agenda."
UC Berkeley Research Fellow and Recall expert Joshua Spivak said that Bay Area voters have zeroed in on DA's fueled by a perception that crime has worsened, first in San Francisco, then Alameda County and now, in Contra Costa. But he said that unlike the recent recall successes, the current effort doesn't have big donors to fund it.
“This is the real challenge here,” he said. “Can they do it as volunteers? Can they find somebody to fund the effort and if they can't, they have a real hill to climb.”
But recall organizers and supporters said they are confident they can get the job done. They have until Sept. 25 to gather the needed 72,556 signatures to bring the recall before voters.
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