Oakland DA Accuses Critics Angry at Her Soft-on-Crime Policies of Being Racist Towards Her

When all else fails, charge your political opponent with racism.

The tactic was used again on Monday when the Oakland, Calif., district attorney slapped back at angry residents by calling her critics racist.

Residents’ anger was fueled by a spike in crime, which they view is the result of the district attorney’s soft-on-crime policies.

Fox News reported that Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price, who ran for office on a “restorative justice” platform, and her supporters slammed Oakland residents for complaining that crime is too high.

Many local residents have voiced concerns that “crime is out of control.” Tensions boiled over during a rally in East Oakland on Saturday — scheduled as a protest to the region’s “crime wave.”

Former Oakland city councilmember Loren Taylor told CBS News the “Neighbors Together Oakland” rally, was a time for “community members [and] neighbors coming together, acknowledging that their voices have not been heard.”

Taylor added: “People are afraid to leave their homes, go downtown. We’ve got other challenges — everything from the rising homelessness to blight — and there’s a sense that it’s just ‘business as usual’ by elected officials.”

However, Council members and DA Price belittled concerns and accused those lodging complaints of “racism.”

Price told CBS: “That’s racism. I’m calling it for what it is.”

Angry that citizens accused Price of incompetence, the DA lashed out to CBS: “If you believe the media hype, I went from a well-respected lawyer and businesswoman with 40 years of experience in this community to a bumbling, incompetent idiot who knew nothing about the law or the criminal justice system.”

Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao supported Price, criticizing disgruntled rallygoers and claiming Price has worked “to increase law enforcement.”

Regarding calls for the mayor to issue a state of emergency, Thao told CBS: “Calling for a state of emergency right now, when we are doing everything this would allow for us to do? I mean, let’s call it what it is. It’s just political theater. And so, for me, I’m about doing the action and doing the work and so this work has already been done. I’ve already got the investments. On to the next!”