RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KNX) — District attorneys for Riverside and San Diego counties withdrew their endorsements of the reelection campaign of Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer on Friday. The withdrawals came in response to allegations that the O.C.’s top prosecutors made racist remarks during a meeting about a potential death penalty case.
A leaked memorandum written by former O.C. Senior A.D.A. Ebrahim Baytieh indicated the Oct. 1 meeting was to discuss the case of defendant Jamon Buggs’ alleged history of domestic violence. According to the memo, Spitzer inquired about the race of Buggs’ previous girlfriends, and allegedly said he knew “many Black people” who “enhance[d] their statue by dating ‘white women.’”
“The news of the comments and actions of Mr. Spitzer was shocking, disappointing, and in the end inexcusable,” Riverside D.A. Mike Hestrin said in a statement on Friday. “Regardless of the good work Mr. Spitzer and his office have done in the past, I cannot in good conscience support his future candidacy. Residents of Orange County, and all of California’s counties, deserve leaders who appeal to our better angels rather than past divides. It is for these reasons that I must retract my endorsement of Mr. Spitzer in his reelection campaign.”
San Diego County D.A. Summer Stephan has not commented on why she withdrew her endorsement.
“I can confirm that San Diego D.A. Summer Stephan rescinded her endorsement of D.A. Spitzer,” Stephan’s campaign manager Dan Rottenstreich told The Orange County Register on Friday.
Spitzer has claimed he was misquoted by Baytieh, who he described as a disgruntled former employee, terminated for allegedly withholding evidence in an overturned murder case.
“It’s unfortunate to see people react based on misrepresentations or lack of information altogether,” Spitzer, through his campaign spokesperson Tim Lineberger, told the Register on Friday regarding the withdrawn endorsements. He said he would continue to support Hestrin and Stephan in their own reelection campaigns.
“Nonetheless, these prosecutors are my colleagues and I would never let them or their communities suffer against the Soros funded and woke candidates who are trying to throw them out of office,” Spitzer said. “The exact same thing is happening in Orange County and I will not let it happen. This is all part of a radical movement across America that will destroy our country if we don’t stop it, and I wish Mike and Summer the best as we all fight to take back our communities.”
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