Those pushing to recall Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price say they're worried a new proposal by the county board of supervisors could derail their effort.
For months, a group calling themselves “Safe Alameda for Everyone” (SAFE) has been asking county residents to sign onto an effort to oust Price.
But now they are worried that their timeline to gather the signatures needed to get that on a ballot could change.
“What they are doing upstairs today, they are trying to confuse the public by changing the recall law,” said Chris Moore of SAFE.
Recall supporters filed into Tuesday’s board of supervisors meeting to fight against a proposal to consolidate special elections with statewide elections.
If approved, that proposal would send voters to the polls on March 5. Under the current rules, that’s the same day more than 75,000 valid signatures would need to be delivered to put the recall in front of voters.
Now recall organizers worry the change in election timing could trigger changes in their timeline as well.
“In the middle of the football game you are changing the rules so it is important that we have to follow what has been described and we are following every step they have been asking us to do,” said Carl Chan of SAFE.
Seven months ago, Lori Mohs’ son Blake was shot and killed while working security at a Pleasanton Home Depot.
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She said she backs the recall effort because she fears her son’s alleged killer will get a more lenient sentence under DA Price.
“Pamela Price believes that just murder and possession of a gun, which by the way was a ghost gun, is acceptable, 20 years,” said Mohs. “If the proper charges were executed on my child’s case it would be life in prison.”
But William Fitzgerald, who is a spokesperson for the new campaign to defend the DA and block the recall, says Price isn't to blame, and should stay in office.
He said there's plenty of proof she's fighting for a safer community, including charging over 7,000 cases.
“She is fighting everyday for the safety of the people of Alameda County. For her, nothing is more important than from right now to ensure the sanctity of the democracy in Alameda County is maintained,” said Fitzgerald.
He also believes many of the signatures on recall petitions will be voided for not meeting the criteria.
“There are folks trying to buy our democracy. They have put in over a half million dollars in a matter of effectively weeks and we have seen the background on who these folks are they are the richest people among us,” said Fitzgerald. “And then the question for us, do we want public safety in Alameda County to be defined by the richest people who live here?”
Meanwhile, the group leading the recall effort claims it already has nearly all the necessary signatures, but also say they want to collect more to account for any that may be rejected by the county.
As the supervisors debate all the changes Tuesday night, those on both sides of the recall effort are left waiting and wondering about the future of the county's top prosecutor.
