By Mike Parker
Even the Contra Costa Times is calling for Contra Costa District Attorney Mark Peterson’s resignation or removal. He illegally diverted $66,000 from his campaign fund for personal use. He lied on sworn statements he filed. As many have pointed out he prosecutes people who have stolen far less and who have not violated the public trust. And all of this while making a salary of $300,000 per year. Most people who are caught embezzling money do not get to keep their job.
This highlights the gross injustice of what we call our “justice system.” Mark Peterson’s career as DA may be toast, but replacing him with a like-minded DA who has not been caught just maintains the unfair justice system. In the 2018t election we need a DA whose main campaign promise is that he will go after the bank executives who are fleecing poor people, the managements of the refineries who make unsafe decisions and the police and other government officials who use their authority to abuse people.
At the same time the DA must take a different approach to the crimes that come from poverty and youthful mistaken decisions. There are actually DAs who take this approach. Going viral right now is a TED talk by a Boston prosecutor Adam Foss. It is worth the time to hear how we can use government to fix some of our problems.