United StatesChesa BoudinThe city by the Bay says naySan Franciscos fire their progressive district attorneyBefore Chesa Boudin was sworn in as San Francisco’s district attorney in January 2020, he once served as a translator for Hugo Chavez, the autocratic former president of Venezuela, and co-wrote a book about the Bolivarian revolution.Now Mr Boudin has experienced his own revolt -- by voters.On June 7th a majority of San Francisco voters decided to “recall” him from office.The mayor will appoint an interim district attorney, with a permanent replacement elected in November.What may sound like a provincial spat is anything but.This was a litmus of values in a city that has always been on the bleeding edge of social and political change.In 2019, when Mr Boudin was campaigning as a progressive promising to revolutionise criminal justice, his offbeat pedigree was an asset.He is a Rhodes scholar, a former public defender and the son of two members of the leftist Weather Underground, who were sentenced to prison for their role as getaway drivers in an armed robbery that led to two police officers and a security guard being killed.Mr Boudin promised to end cash bail and put fewer people in jail.Prosecutions have indeed fallen since he took office.
