Pamela Price fails to disclose controversial relationship with senior staff member, sparking charges of nepotism
Pamela Price (Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)
A George Soros-backed district attorney in California who is facing recall has given her boyfriend a six-figure position funded by taxpayers.
Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price, who received $130,000 from Mr. Soros in a failed 2018 bid, secured the job for her boyfriend, Antwon Croire, the mayor of San Jose. mercury news It was reported on Sunday. Croire joined Price's office in 2023 as a “senior program specialist” with an annual salary of $115,502. According to reports, Price welcomed him to the team without disclosing their relationship, which is said to be an “open secret” at his office.
Since taking over as district attorney in 2022, Price has overseen a surge in crime in Oakland, the county's largest city. She has promised to overhaul the criminal justice system, angering voters in the process.of san francisco chronicle Oakland reported a higher violent crime rate last year than eight comparable cities. As district attorney, Mr. Price made a gang member who killed a toddler in a freeway shootout eligible for parole, shortened the sentence of a triple murderer, and sentenced a teenager involved in three murders to just 7. gave years.
Will Swaim, director of the California Policy Center, said Mr. Price's decision to hire Mr. Croire appears to violate California's employment nepotism policy. The state defines nepotism as “the use of influence or power by an employee to hire, transfer, or promote an applicant or employee because of a personal relationship,” and the issued an order prohibiting anyone with a personal relationship from participating in the recruitment process. .
“In a county infested with criminals…it's not at all surprising that prosecutors themselves seem to be ignoring the law,” Swaim said.
In addition to the cries of nepotism, Croire's past record has also been called into question.
Before supporting Mr. Price's political career, Mr. Croire was an activist in Richmond, California, where he reported to the city that Mr. Price was seeking $5,000 and $20,000 from two different companies. It was known to executives. Instead, he would “facilitate” and “expedite” permits.
According to an email obtained by mercury newsIn 2015, Mr. Croire allegedly told a local meat packer that in exchange for $5,000, he could “expedite” the permits the company needed. Meanwhile, that same year, he allegedly demanded $20,000 from a restaurateur to help him secure a liquor license for a new location. One city official said the fee was something restaurant operators felt they “would otherwise have to pay.” [Cloird] Many people will be against it. ”
The FBI launched an investigation into Mr. Croire's “play-to-play” arrangement, but the agency ultimately did not indict him.
In 2016, marijuana dispensaries sued Croire and three other marijuana businesses, accusing them of conspiring to keep dispensaries out of Richmond. Mr. Croire was accused of trying to sway the plaintiff pharmacy's attorney and of trying to bribe a local city council member to oppose the new business. Croire was eventually able to withdraw his name as a defendant.
“Antwon Croire is a valued member of our team whose outstanding work and accomplishments in communities across the Bay Area are well documented,” Price spokeswoman Patty Lee said in a statement. . washington free beacon.
Mr. Croire, who calls Mr. Price the “love of his life,” has served as the district attorney's campaign manager and transition advisor.
Mr. Price is not the first Democratic politician to add a partner to his payroll with taxpayer or campaign funds. Rep. Cori Bush (D-Missouri) used campaign funds to pay a private security guard she married earlier this year, and Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) used her campaign funds to pay for her then-boyfriend's political consulting. He kept the company afloat with the funds of several hundred people. She made thousands of dollars before she married him.
