Black Community Leaders Split on Philadelphia’s DA’s Race

Black male activists and organizers in Philadelphia are often expressing similar thoughts and concerns about social justice, and are sometimes rallying around the same cause. Yet, they hold varying opinions right now as to who should lead the Office of the District Attorney, a reality that further shatters the misnomer of a political monolith.

Mr. Greg Brinkley, the former president of the Philadelphia Chapter of the National Action Network, was sold on the idea of Mr. Larry Krasner, a White civil rights attorney, succeeding Mr. Seth Williams, the first African-American District Attorney who announced he won’t seek re-election. But when Mr. Tariq El-Shabazz, who was hired months ago by Mr. Williams as his top deputy, announced he would run for the Office, Mr. Brinkley’s choice was clear: the renowned defense attorney who has the experience of working in the Center City Philadelphia building across the street from City Hall.

“His experience won me over… he’s the candidate to beat,” Mr. Brinkley, who was present at the press conference Monday morning where Mr. El-Shabazz made his intent official, told me over the phone.

 

 

A radio broadcaster heard on WRNB 100.3-FM every Saturday, as the host of ‘The Breakdown,’ Mr. Manwell Glenn on Monday also went up to the Chestnut Hill section of the City to hear Mr. El-Shabazz – who supports court diversionary programs and ending the cash bail system for non-violent offenders – make his declaration, but as friend, not as a sign of an endorsement. In addition to the large crowd of spectators, Mr. Glenn said almost every news station was in attendance, an advantage in messaging not afforded to Mr. Krasner upon his announcement, though a crowd he attracted, indeed.

Judging on how much attention he’s garnered, Mr. El-Shabazz – who on Monday was hounded by the news media about his debts rather than his platform – is “clearly the front-runner,” Mr. Glenn, who said the proud Muslim has the most experience of anyone running, said.

Mr. El-Shabazz – whose biggest challenge in campaigning will be separating himself from the disgraced DA he hopes to replace, said Ms. Denise Clay, a proofreader and writer for the Philadelphia Sunday Sun – has won the affection of Mr. Ari Merretazon, a Vietnam War veteran and activist who has pursued in recent months a Veteran Affairs lawsuit against the City of Philadelphia. The attorney handling the case, Mr. Leon Williams, was Mr. Merretazon’s first choice, but after Mr. Williams withdrew himself from the list of possible candidates, Mr. Merretazon felt a natural inclination to support Mr. El-Shabazz.

Experience was also cited by Mr. Merretazon as the reason for his choice. Mr. El-Shabazz, he said, has the experience needed to keep justice as the focus. Though his decision wasn’t fully motivated by race, Mr. Merretazon said he does want to see a skilled and qualified black man run the DA’s office.

“I’m firmly behind him,” Mr. Merretazon, who aims to volunteer for Mr. El-Shabazz’s campaign, told me.

Mr. Michael Coard, a prominent Center City Philadelphia attorney and the self-proclaimed angriest black man in America, is 100 percent in support of Mr. Krasner, a man whom he calls pro-black. Mr. Coard, who recently penned an Op-Ed bidding farewell to the anti-black DA (Mr. Williams), characterized the pool of candidates’ resume as “kinda shaky” and said they’re neither revolutionary nor progressive.

 

In past elections, Mr. Coard admitted to me that he has just gone through the motions, even when Mr. Barack Obama was campaigning. But Mr. Krasner, who has pledged to end the “classist” cash bail system, never pursue the death penalty and only imprison those who pose a threat to society, speaks the language of the movement and is as pro-black as one could be, Mr. Coard implied.

 

 

Mr. Glenn said he likes Mr. Krasner a lot, and is aware of what he brings to the table, but believes it would go well for all communities in this city to have a guy like Mr. El-Shabazz serve as the chief law enforcement officer.

The many conversations I’ve had with black male community leaders in Philadelphia have mostly framed the race as among only two people, Mr. Krasner and Mr. El-Shabazz, despite there being a crowded field. However, my talks with Mr. Anton Moore, a South Philadelphia organizer who spoke at the 2016 Democratic National Convention, was a little different, as he supports neither of the two aforementioned candidates, but rather Mr. Rich Negrin, the City’s former Managing Director.

“I endorse Rich. He’s perfect for the job,” Mr. Moore said.

In his very early 30s, and hyper-connected in South Philadelphia, Mr. Moore dismissed the idea that Mr. El-Shabazz is the front-runner.

“I see this as an open race,” asserted Mr. Moore, who informed me of several other black community leaders that plan to back Mr. Negrin, a Latino who ascended to one the highest political offices in the City.

Mr. Negrin has a visible presence in my community and always kept an open line of communication with me, Mr. Moore told me.

“If Rich wasn’t in my community, I wouldn’t be embracing him right now.”

Mr. Coard said Mr. Negrin is not only more of the same, but worse. And Ms. Jody Dodd – who on Monday was out collecting signatures for Mr. Krasner’s petitions: “Larry has been a part of social movements for twenty years; I’ve never seen Tariq be apart of anything” – said Mr. Negrin is a law-and-order guy who’s anti-protester.

Ms. Dodd – who has worked for Mr. Krasner’s firm for almost a decade and who’s a member of The Up Against the Law Legal Collective – sees Mr. Negrin as a quintessential bureaucrat while Mr. Moore sees him an outsider with the potential to shake things up. Mr. Coard perceives Mr. Krasner as a benevolent attorney whose many big cases make him a local legend of sorts, and Mr. Glenn believes Mr. El-Shabazz has handled more high-profile cases than Mr. Krasner but that they both are cut from the same cloth and would stand up for the same population: the poor and disenfranchised. Mr. Brinkley has no doubt that the race card will be dealt and played in this campaign; Mr. Merretazon thinks the same, but said it won’t be Mr. El-Shabazz who plays it first.

Despite the range of opinions, everyone agrees no one is a real candidate until the petitions have been turned in and verified. The first week of March is the time period to keep an eye on; it’ll be then that for some, game ends, and for others, the game goes to another level.

“It’s on,” Mr. Brinkley shouted.

   

Thanks for reading. Until next time, I’m Flood the Drummer® & I’m Drumming for JUSTICE!™

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Photo courtesy of the author.