CAMPAIGN ANNOUNCEMENT

WESTCHESTER, NY – With hate crimes of all kinds rising nationally and against a backdrop of recent bias-related crimes in Westchester, Democrat Susan Cacace today announced that as District Attorney she would create a Bias and Hate Crimes Advisory Board to help guide the office’s hate crimes unit and respond to community concerns.

“The ongoing increase in hate crimes is hurting people and terrifying communities everywhere, and Westchester is sadly no exception,” said Cacace. “DA Rocah has built a unit that can better investigate and prosecute these crimes, and as DA, I will expand on that work by creating an advisory board that brings the marginalized communities who are the targets of these crimes to the table so we can hear their concerns first-hand.  Fighting hate crimes is about both education and prosecution, and the DA’s office must be at the forefront of both.”

Cacace, who served as a judge overseeing sex crimes cases in Westchester for 14 years, said that her experience delivering justice would enable her to address these crimes and support victims. The advisory board would consist of representatives of all groups who have been marginalized and targeted by bigotry.

“As a woman, I was better able to understand the perspective of many victims of sex crimes,” she added. “This is why the DA’s advisory board needs representatives from the Jewish community facing a terrifying rise in antisemitism. We need representatives of the Muslim community to share their experience with Islamophobia. We need representatives from Black, Hispanic, Asian and Arabic communities. We need to hear women, we need to listen to the LGBTQ+ community. Everyone’s voice needs to be heard, and we all need to stand strong and fight back against all forms of bigotry.”

Judge Susan Cacace is running for District Attorney following DA Rocah’s announcement not to seek a second term.  A lifelong Democrat with a family history of public service, Judge Cacace has been a prosecutor, a defense attorney and a judge and will bring the totality of that experience to the DA’s office.

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