CONTACT:
Barbara Thompson, Cy Vance for DA, 917-453-8561; press@cyvanceforda.com
FORMER NEW YORK CITY MAYOR DAVID DINKINS ENDORSES
CY VANCE FOR MANHATTAN DISTRICT ATTORNEY
First African-American Mayor Says Vance Will Stand Up
For All New Yorkers, Champion Equal Rights
NEW YORK, NY, April 30, 2009 – Today former Mayor David Dinkins endorsed Cy Vance for Manhattan District Attorney at a press conference on the steps of City Hall, where Dinkins was the last Democrat to serve as mayor.
“Cy Vance is an accomplished lawyer, a passionate advocate and a true progressive. But most importantly, he embodies a characteristic that I believe is essential for the Manhattan DA: fairness.
“A strong defender of equal rights, Cy has spent his career advocating for fairness on all sides of the criminal justice system. He has worked as a defense attorney, standing up for those who didn’t have a voice, and as an Assistant District Attorney in Manhattan, prosecuting everything from street crime to white-collar fraud. He has spent more than two decades working to reform the criminal justice system and has always been a strong advocate for reforming the Rockefeller Drug Laws that give unfair sentences to non-violent drug offenders.
“As Manhattan DA, Cy Vance would use the simple principle of fairness to guide the office. He would prosecute police misconduct, corporate criminals and landlords who harass their tenants. His innovative plan for community-based justice would put the focus on the neighborhoods that need help the most. Under this plan, he would partner DAs with police, community groups, schools, housing associations, and other agencies in a coordinated effort to break the cycle of crime.
“No matter the case, no matter the circumstances, Cy will be true to the principles of fairness and equal rights for all. And that will make him a great Manhattan DA,” said Dinkins.
Cy Vance said, “I am proud to have the support of Mayor Dinkins. I am inspired by his long and distinguished record as a public servant and protector of New York City. The great reduction in crime in New York City that began in 1992 under Mayor Dinkins was thanks to his monumental work in making vastly more criminal justice resources available to the city under his Safe Streets, Safe City program. Mayor Dinkins also has an impressive history as a civil rights leader, from leading marches in the 1960s to instituting comprehensive HIV/AIDS education programs in our schools in the 1990s. It’s an honor to have his endorsement.”
