Kamala Harris kicked off her re-election for San Francisco district attorney earlier this month before a crowd of supporters and touted her office's successful conviction rate and innovative programs as reasons voters should return her to another term in office.
While Harris, as of yet, faces no challenger in the November 6 election, she's not taking anything for granted. Candidates have until early August to file papers in the race. Jim Hammer, an openly gay former prosecutor who briefly worked for Harris after her election and has been a frequent critic, said last week that he would not challenge her this year.
An estimated 250 people filled the Women's Building's auditorium June 2 to listen to what Harris had to say about her first three years as district attorney and her vision for the future.
Harris's approach is to be "smart on crime," which she said has been reflected in her office's overall felony conviction rate that went from 52 percent in 2003 (before she took office) to 67 percent in 2006. According to Harris, last year her office tried 23 homicide cases, the "highest number of homicide cases that went to trial in over a decade." She has implemented a number of special units that are the first of their kind and focus on a range of crimes such as elder abuse, child assault, and human trafficking.
Next week, Harris plans to launch a media campaign to encourage reporting gay male sexual assault and a network of social services to assist with recovery.
Her style and message, "let's be competent, but let's also recognize that we can be compassionate," has garnered her a broad range of supporters.
"I'm a better mayor with Kamala as DA and I hope that she's a better DA with me as mayor," said Mayor Gavin Newsom. Newsom told the B.A.R. that for the first time in decades the mayor's office and the district attorney's office were working together.
Newsom, who also faces re-election this year, added, "The best is yet to come in terms of building on the first few years we've been in office."
Supervisor Bevan Dufty agreed, "She's a really bright part of our justice system in San Francisco. We are fortunate to have her as our DA"
Harris has already raised an estimated $250,000, according to campaign manager Jim Stearns, who added the campaign has a goal of $600,000 to $800,000.
Success
Harris, 42, said she has received much of her support due to her ability to identify, prioritize, and focus on what needs to be done.
"This is an office that is reflective of modern day kinds of priorities and San Francisco's priorities," Harris told the B.A.R. "I'm bringing in the best and the brightest. This is an office of very hard working men and women who are here because they are absolutely dedicated to doing this work."
According to spokeswoman Bilen Mesfin, 10 percent of Harris's staff is LGBT and many are managers of key units and departments in the office. For example. Julius De Guia is the first out gay man to head a child abuse unit at a district attorney's office in California.
"She's understanding of issues that are important to our community, be it hate crimes [or] violence in our community," said Rebecca Prozan, an assistant district attorney and co-chair of the Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club, which endorsed Harris earlier this year.
Harris also has developed five community advisory committees within her office, one of which is LGBT.
Police Commission President Theresa Sparks, who is on Harris's LGBT steering committee, told the B.A.R. that she believes that Harris will "get almost universal support from the LGB and transgender community." According to Sparks, Harris has committed more resources to solving murders and suspicious deaths of transgender women, most recently Ruby Ordenana, than "any district attorney in the history of San Francisco."
"That's something I've never seen before," said Sparks, who is the first transgender woman to head the Police Commission.
Last summer, Harris hosted a national conference focused on the so-called gay or transgender panic defense, which is often used as a "heat of passion" defense to argue manslaughter rather than a murder conviction, but is sometimes used as an excuse to justify other crimes. According to Harris, the conference resulted in gender harassment educational materials that are now distributed to prosecutors throughout the nation and provided some support for the Gwen Araujo Justice for Victims Act. The new state law, which took effect this year, declares that it is against public policy for a defendant to play upon the bias of the jury, or for a jury to allow bias against the victim to enter into its decision-making. The law also asks the state Office of Emergency Services to incorporate training on the gay panic strategy into its existing trainings for prosecutors.
Currently, according to Harris, her office is working on six hate crimes cases, two of which are dealing with crimes against LGBT individuals. There is also one pending case.
Queer support
Harris has long been an ally of the LGBT community and is aware of the significance of the community's support four years ago when she first ran for office.
"The LGBT community is a big part of how I got into office," said Harris. "It's a big part of this city and this world."
Community activist Tommi Avicolli Mecca said he was concerned about Harris running unopposed.
"Kamala Harris isn't doing anything overtly that I can see right now," he said, though he admitted that he hasn't looked closely at her record.
"I'm not sure any issue is going to get raised and that's the problem with running unopposed,� said Avicolli Mecca.
Harris's supporters include Dufty; Assemblyman Mark Leno (D-San Francisco); and a host of elected officials, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) and Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer.