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Soros Sends Last-Minute Cash to Virginia Prosecutor Candidates
freebeacon ^ | NOVEMBER 2, 2019 | Joe Schoffstall

Posted on 11/02/2019 5:59:13 AM PDT by MarvinStinson

Liberal billionaire bids to reshape state's criminal justice system

Liberal billionaire George Soros is flooding Virginia with hundreds of thousands of dollars in a last-minute effort to support Democratic prosecutors on the ballot on Nov. 5. The money is part of a liberal effort to reshape the state's criminal justice system: Progressive Democrats in several races have committed to reforms focused on reducing felony convictions.

Soros's targeted candidates have expressed opposition to the death penalty and prosecuting marijuana possession and seek to reduce incarceration rates by bringing lower-level charges. The billionaire's contributions to the candidates in all but one case are by far the largest they have received for their races.

Among the candidates Soros is lavishing with cash is Buta Biberaj, the Democrat running for commonwealth's attorney in Loudoun County, Va., who received a $260,000 contribution and $3,773 in digital ad productions on Oct. 29 from the Justice and Public Safety PAC, a federal political action committee financed by Soros. The PAC disbursed an additional $337,546 in additional funds for direct ad buys, mail, literature, postage, and polling from mid to late October, filings show. Biberaj, a defense attorney and substitute judge, has advocated for reducing incarceration by bringing lower-level charges.

Soros's committee also recently sent a $5,000 donation to Albemarle County commonwealth's attorney candidate Jim Hingeley, a lawyer whose campaign has also centered on using misdemeanor-level charges to lower incarceration rates.

Biberaj's campaign did not respond to an inquiry on the money. Hingeley's campaign could not be reached for comment.

The new contributions come on the heels of the $1 million the financier sent earlier this year to Parisa Dehghani-Tafti, a candidate for Arlington County commonwealth's attorney, and Steve Descana, a Fairfax County commonwealth's attorney candidate. Descana has expressed interest in putting together a coalition of progressive prosecutors to lobby for legislation if they are elected in a wave.

Soros has for years quietly funded prosecutor races as part of an effort to overhaul the criminal justice system. In late 2017, the financier co-hosted a panel at a gathering of the Democracy Alliance, the left's largest donor network, on ramping up district attorney races across the country, documents obtained by the Washington Free Beacon showed.

One candidate backed by Soros in recent years was progressive Larry Krasner, a defense attorney who joked during his campaign in Philadelphia that he had built a career that made him completely unelectable, which included representing Occupy Philadelphia and suing a police department more than 75 times. Krasner ultimately received $1.7 million from Soros and won in a landslide.

Within days of taking over the position, Krasner purged dozens of prosecutors from the district attorney's office. The individuals terminated by Krasner were primarily from the homicide division, drug enforcement, and civil asset forfeiture units. The firings stalled court cases and led to a judge lambasting the moves after a murder trial was postponed.

One of Soros's few setbacks was in California last year. Genevieve Jones-Wright, who sat on the 2017 Democracy Alliance panel hosted by Soros, received $1.5 million in backing from the billionaire. Jones lost her election in San Diego by 28 points. A number of other candidates that he backed around California were also defeated.

Despite the hiccups in California, Soros in recent years has had success getting his preferred candidates elected. He has pushed money into races in states including Florida, Illinois, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, and New Mexico.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: soros; virginia

1 posted on 11/02/2019 5:59:13 AM PDT by MarvinStinson
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To: MarvinStinson

Soros has for years quietly funded prosecutor races as part of an effort to overhaul the criminal justice system.


2 posted on 11/02/2019 5:59:25 AM PDT by MarvinStinson
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To: MarvinStinson

One candidate backed by Soros in recent years was progressive Larry Krasner, a defense attorney who joked during his campaign in Philadelphia that he had built a career that made him completely unelectable, which included representing Occupy Philadelphia and suing a police department more than 75 times. Krasner ultimately received $1.7 million from Soros and won in a landslide.

Within days of taking over the position, Krasner purged dozens of prosecutors from the district attorney’s office. The individuals terminated by Krasner were primarily from the homicide division, drug enforcement, and civil asset forfeiture units. The firings stalled court cases and led to a judge lambasting the moves after a murder trial was postponed.


3 posted on 11/02/2019 5:59:55 AM PDT by MarvinStinson
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To: MarvinStinson

Sorosis is a disease.


4 posted on 11/02/2019 6:02:45 AM PDT by HighSierra5
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To: MarvinStinson

I know the GOP of Virginia laments the demographic change in northern Virginia from “Red to Blue” politically. But, there are still quite a few Republican, Conservatives throughout the State/Commonwealth. As you all know in Virginia...the legislature is at stake of rolling over to the control of the Democrat Party, ultra liberal, left-wing progressives.

I have watched your elections over the past five to ten years and noticed that Republican/Conservative voters do not turn out to vote as they once did!!! So....it’s easy to protect your turf...just get out and vote!!! Please comply...and, wishing you electoral success this coming election, next week. Go, Virginia GOP, Go, Trump, Go MEGA/MAGA....Destroy the Democrat Party...politically!!!


5 posted on 11/02/2019 6:11:29 AM PDT by JLAGRAYFOX (Defeat both the Republican (e) & Democrat (e) political parties....Forever!!!)
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To: MarvinStinson
Sorros does not use his own money for these projects. Much of it is our own tax dollars through the tides foundation “charity”!
6 posted on 11/02/2019 6:12:09 AM PDT by mountainlion (Live well for those that did not make it back.)
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To: MarvinStinson

And, pretty much, everywhere he’s done it and succeeded, the cities and counties have become disaster areas, with liberal DAs declining to prosecute all sorts of crimes.


7 posted on 11/02/2019 6:12:19 AM PDT by qaz123
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To: MarvinStinson

Pay to play politics... the Democrats are masters at it. Our Republic is the target.


8 posted on 11/02/2019 6:41:32 AM PDT by ReleaseTheHounds ("The problem with Socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money." M. Thatcher)
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To: MarvinStinson

Ever wonder why Obama was not concerned about appointing judges. Selective prosecutors decide the crime.


9 posted on 11/02/2019 6:50:12 AM PDT by Souled_Out (Our hope is in the power of God working through the hearts of people.)
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To: MarvinStinson

One of the great mysteries is why Soros is still alive. How much does he pay for security?


10 posted on 11/02/2019 7:00:38 AM PDT by Truth29
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To: MarvinStinson

I’d be for letting them all out if we could get Soros locked up forever!!!

I don’t understand or know the fascination with VA politics. Wasn’t there some scandal regarding Clinton’s old buddy - Terry McCuliffe in a recent election or was it something involving his wife’s campaign? Had to do with campaign donations if I recall correctly.


11 posted on 11/02/2019 7:29:42 AM PDT by Thank You Rush
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To: MarvinStinson

Fortunately the inevitable thing that happens when you let leftists, anti-cop moron communist takeover your judicial system, is the police eventually go fuck you ! and leave ir simply don’t do their job and the ferals take over the streets and you have Chicago

Www.heyjackass.com


12 posted on 11/02/2019 1:09:04 PM PDT by Truthoverpower (The guvmint you get is the Trump winning express !)
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