text: Du Bain right choice for Solano DA Home
  Du Bain right choice for Solano DA
  From page A10 | May 25, 2014 Two candidates are vying to serve as Solano County's top prosecutor. They are incumbent District Attorney Donald du Bain and one of his chief prosecutors, Krishna Abrams.
  Both are adept at getting cases prosecuted – the primary focus of the office. The incumbent, however, brings a wider scope of accomplishments to the table in a relatively short period of time. Two things stand out from his first term in office.
  Du Bain was a driving force in establishing in April 2013 the new Family Justice Center at 604 Empire St. in Fairfield.
  This is not the Family Justice Center's first iteration. The center since 2011 had been located in cramped quarters – three offices and some cubicles – within the District Attorney's Office on the fourth floor of the county Government Center. Du Bain worked with the county to expand the center – the 18th in the state and the 81st in the nation when it was established – into something more.
  The new center is a one-stop shop for a wide array of services that are geared toward the victims of family violence. Some are governmental in nature, but others have no ties to government operations.
  There's an area where children can play while a parent receives services. There's a room for Sheriff's Office and Office of Family Violence Prevention staff and advocates. The nonprofit LIFT3 Support Group has a room at the center, where it can offer its services to people who need them. County Health and Social Services representatives work out of another room. A room is set aside for spiritual counseling.
  Officials said the new center has served hundreds of people since it opened its doors.
  Du Bain also helped establish a Truancy Court in cooperation with the county's Office of Education and Superior Court. The focus of the court is to bring in the parents of children who are truant in the younger grades, and get them to make their children attend elementary school on a consistent basis.
  Incumbent du Bain understands that to combat crime effectively, you need to get to the root causes of crime. That includes the need to ensure that children attend school.
  The Truancy Court made its debut in October 2011. Dozens of cases have been heard. Parents in roughly half the cases improved their children's attendance to the point that their cases were dismissed. We call that a success. These children will now have a good chance at success in life, rather than the life of crime we often see with school dropouts.
  Bottom line: Donald du Bain is established in the community. He understands the people who live here and the issues that face the community. He has a vision for how to improve life for Solano County residents, and works to turn that vision into reality.
  We encourage Solano County voters to return du Bain to office June 3.
  HogwashMay 24, 2014 - 10:44 pmThis endorsement reads like a du Bain campaign mailer. Who does du Bain know at the DR? Did he spend some of his 300k to get this endorsement? Way to step all over yourselves and twist yourselves in knots to come up with the logic behind this one DR. Glen Faison writes an editorial March 19 questioning du Bain's ethics. Bud Stevenson writes a commentary on May 16 highlighting the crime problem and identified Abrams as the prosecutor who his tough on crime. Throw in DR's numerous articles describing the DA's ethics violations for good measure. Somehow DR comes up with the warped conclusion that du Bain is the best person for the DA post. Hogwash! Missing in this endorsement was any mention of du Bain's ethics violations, low conviction rate, and how crime is getting worse around here lately. Was public safety a consideration in this endorsement at all? Let me remind the DR that the number one priority of the DA is to keep the public safe by putting criminals behind bars. These candidates aren't running for school board or social services director. Public safety is key to this position and there's no mention of it in this endorsement. Abrams is the only candidate in this race who has a strong track record putting criminals behind bars and keeping the public safe. DR got it wrong, vote Abrams for DA!Reply | Report abusive commentDotMay 24, 2014 - 11:27 pmIs that you, Abrams? You seem pretty angry. Is there a tantrum with that rant?Reply | Report abusive commentReal VoterMay 25, 2014 - 10:25 amJess, you couldn't convince your colleagues to endorse your friend? Your slanted stories and misdemeanor trial coverage didn't sway them? It's over, folks. Crisis averted.Reply | Report abusive commentBeen thereMay 25, 2014 - 10:54 amThose of you who believe that du Bain has committed an ethics violation either do not have all of the facts or do not understand the position du Bain was placed in when the Sheriff's Dept. was doing a CONFIDENTIAL investigation of Dr. Hogan. Remember -- Du Bain did not hire Hogan. I voted for du Bain as I agree with the Daily Republic. It's a true statement to say that Solano citizens are safer because of du Bain -- I personally help victims of domestic violence get the protection they are entitled to. I serve as a pro bono attorney at the Family Justice Center, so I have first hand knowledge of the many ways this Center protects and helps victims of violent crime. It's thanks to du Bain that the Family Justice Center exists.Reply | Report abusive commentDotMay 24, 2014 - 11:22 pmAgreed, Daily Republic... And thoughtfully, logically said.Reply | Report abusive commentJoseph D. JoyceMay 25, 2014 - 2:49 amAlready Voted and my vote was for Krishna Abrams! Enough corruption.Reply | Report abusive commentThe ChiefMay 25, 2014 - 7:02 amDonald DuBain is the obvious choice in this race. Miss Abram's ill conceived campaign and last minute entrance as a candidate would fool no one but the most naive members of the electorate.Reply | Report abusive commentAghast and AppalledMay 25, 2014 - 7:23 amUnbelievable. Simply unbelievable. Du Bain commits some of the worst ethics violations I have ever seen by a DA, including repeated abuses of discovery and overzealous prosecution of minor offenders (thereby diluting the seriousness of major offenses), and he and his deputies have had their arses chewed up and spit out by multiple judges and the resulting jury verdicts because of his sleazy policies and conduct; yet, somehow, he is the best candidate for the job?
  What a joke. Not only Du Bain, but the DR for this endorsement. But then again, Fairfield really still is an old boys network where money and hidden backdoor relationships drive politics. Du Bain has violated the public trust. One or two positive accomplishments do not overcome the serious deficiencies and flaws of this candidate. And the DR should be embarrassed about this endorsement. I certainly am, and so are the majority of my neighbors and professional colleagues.Reply | Report abusive commentGeorge Guynn, JrMay 25, 2014 - 9:25 amHogwash, Joseph D. Joyce, and , and Aghast and Appalled are all correct. I am voting for Krishna Abrams too! DuBain claimed to have saved the taxpayers $300K while getting $500K more for the mortgage fraud unit by going through the back door and getting fees raised on 28 real estate transaction types by the sups, instead of asking the public if they wanted to spend the money. The worst of the foreclosures are over, but don't look for the fees to go down!Reply | Report abusive commentKERRY JACOBSMay 25, 2014 - 10:52 amMy vote goes to Abrams on June 3rd. ! Time to take out the trash and cut the decay.Reply | Report abusive commentAdvocate for JusticeMay 25, 2014 - 11:53 amAghast and apalled must have a short memory or just recently moved to Solano County as evidenced by the statement that du Bain "commits some of the worst ethics violations I have ever seen by a DA . . ." Do you remember DA Dave Paulson and his henchman Al Garza? They were both found guilty of civil rights violations shortly before DA Paulson decided it was not in his best interest to seek reelection . . . again. The court, in it's findings, commented on the extreme abuse of power exhibited by DA Paulson and his Chief Invetigaor Al Garza. Garza was given carte blance by Paulson to bully and intimidate anyone who disagreed with Paulson. Along comes du Bain who has to pick up this mess and not only brings credibility to the office, but jumps right in to bring much needed services to the community. Guess who is listed as a supporter of Ms. Abrams . . . yep, Dave Paulson, along with a passel of defense attorneys. Really? Why would defense attorneys endorse any candidate for DA unless there is something in it for them? If you really want more of what you had with Paulson, feel free to stick your head in the sand and vote for her, but don't complain when you get exactly what you are asking for.Reply | Report abusive commentBeen thereMay 25, 2014 - 12:45 pmGreat comment, advocate. Thanks for the additional info.Reply | Report abusive commentIn the KnowMay 25, 2014 - 1:47 pmAdvocate, your comment serves to deflect from the legitimate ethical lapses under Don du Bain. Paulson isn't on the ballot and isn't relevant. Du Bain has a pattern of not turning over evidence dating back to when he was a prosecutor on the Westside Burglary case. It resulted in a mistrial. No justice center will take away from the fact that this guy is corrupt. That's not a look I care for in my elected officials. Abrams has excellent ethics and has my vote all the way.Reply | Report abusive commentReally?May 25, 2014 - 4:10 pmYou mean the Westside burglar who is sitting in prison for about 20 years thanks to the Du Bain team.Reply | Report abusive commentHogwashMay 26, 2014 - 6:18 pmThe fact that the "team" had to come in and clean up du Bain's mess isn't a selling point for your guy. It just shows that the du Bain didn't and doesn't know what he's doing. He continues to demonstrate the same compromised ethics from then till now.Reply | Report abusive commentDu Bain for DA!May 25, 2014 - 12:27 pmI'm behind Don Du Bain 100%!Reply | Report abusive commentJournalism101May 25, 2014 - 5:52 pmAre you kidding me? A high school newspaper could have written a more cogent editorial than this piece of journalism. For readers who want a fair and balanced article on this race check out the Reporter's endorsement of Abrams. Bottom line, a DA who will fight crime and do it with integrity.Reply | Report abusive commentAdvocate for JusticeMay 25, 2014 - 6:39 pmIf you want ethical, you're barking up the wrong tree. Clearly you're ignoring the fact that Abrams didn't start out the election season running for DA, she first wanted to be a judge. When it was clear she would not get the support of the bench, she switched to a desire to be DA. She went so far as to move in with her boyfriend, a deputy with the Sheriff's Deparment, in order to even qualify for the ballot. She waited until the 11th hour to register to vote in Solano County . . . for the first time. Being DA was her sad second choice; a consolation prize, if you will. If the entire judicial bench chose not to support her, how do you think she will do as DA? Our disgraced former DA is supporting her along with numerous CRIMINAL DEFENSE attorneys - that says a lot. What do they have to gain by supporting Ms. Abrams for DA, an easier path to winning acquittals for their clients? I plan on living in Solano County for the forseeable future and would prefer a DA who has the communities safety as a priority, not a DA who wants to win a consolation prize.Reply | Report abusive commentHogwashMay 25, 2014 - 9:43 pmAdvocate you said nothing persuasive to call into question Abrams ethics. Considering a run for Judge and filing papers on the last day to run for DA isn't an ethical violation. Withholding evidence is! I can imagine that running against the sitting DA is something that would give anyone pause. Ultimately Abrams had the courage to run against du Bain's money. Seems to me that Abrams is tired of working under a corrupt boss in du Bain and feels she can change the culture in that office. Speaking of disgraced, du Bain is endorsed by our Sherriff. But no doubt you'll make excuses for that. You offer nothing of substance in your critique, just innuendo. You're assertion that Abrams will offer an easier path for acquittals is laughable. Cleary you don't know her record.Reply | Report abusive commentAdvocate for JusticeMay 26, 2014 - 7:58 amSadly, I do know her record. Not only have I known her for many years, I also work with her and she is not what she seems.Reply | Report abusive commentGeneral Fadi BasemMay 25, 2014 - 8:55 pmMr. Ho Kim was a man who decided to provide a needed service to his community. He ran the Travis Dairy on the corner of North Texas Street and Travis Boulevard. One day while he was providing this community service five young persons decided to put an end to that. Mr. Ho Kim is now dead. If I was a great student in math, I would have majored in math. If I was good with computers, I would have majored in Computer Science. But it doesn't take a major in math or Computer Science to see that the prosecution of the murderers of Mr. Ho Kim does not compute. Usually the multi-co-defendant murder case features one defendant being offered an attractive deal to rat out--errrrrr- I mean testify truthfully about the other co-defendants and the misdeeds of the co-defendants. Especially when it is a murder case. As this case clearly is. Each of the five original co-defendants should have been charged and fully prosecuted for a murder. What happened?? Will the Solano County DA have a election mailer explaining why it is ok to release four murderers on our community instead of prosecuting them for the murder they committed? I have received many mailings from the duBain election central over the past few days. I think it was one a day for the past week. Thankfully none today, Sunday. But wait--it's late, maybe I will get a special delivery of campaign mail on Sunday from campaign central. This case of murder of Mr. Kim has the DA office accepting bargains with four of the five co-defendants. It should only be one plea bargain for one defendant. It does not compute. A man, a senior citizen was murdered in the course of an armed robbery and 4 out of five of the "people" who did this are walking the streets today? Four murderers walking the streets?? Not acceptable.Reply | Report abusive commentGeneral Fadi BasemMay 25, 2014 - 9:01 pmApparently it is acceptable for young "people" to murder senior citizens in Fairfield. And take a walk and plot further murders.Reply | Report abusive commentGeneral Fadi BasemMay 25, 2014 - 10:07 pmSo thanks Don and thanks Barry and thanks Susan for your support of seniors in Solano County. We all counted on you and you dumped a load on our faces.Reply | Report abusive comment	Recent Articles