Sacramento District Attorney Announces Campaign for Attorney General

With a promise to “end the chaos in our justice system," Sacramento District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert announced her candidacy for state attorney general on Monday. She is seeking to oust Rob Bonta, who was recently appointed by the governor to replace Xavier Becerra and must run for election in 2022.

Schubert has served as Sacramento’s top prosecutor since 2014. She gained national recognition for her role in the capture of the Golden State killer four years ago — a feat which hinged on the pursuit of novel DNA efforts. She has been praised for the Cold Case Protection Unit she established in 2002, as well as her recent work on California’s EDD Scandal.

Schubert’s tenure has also been rocked by controversy. She was criticized by civil rights advocates for not filing criminal charges against officers who shot Joseph Mann in 2016 and Stevante Clark in 2018.

Schubert is one of many former Republican officials who has severed her ties with the party in recent years. She is running for AG as an independent. If elected, she would be the first openly gay person to hold the job.

As part of her strategy, Schubert is trying to tap into growing frustrations with local prosecutors — allies of Bonta — who were elected on social justice platforms but are now presiding over rampant crime. She has taken aim at San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin and Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón. She has also lambasted criminal justice reforms in Sacramento that “resulted in the early release of many violent, dangerous offenders." Those statements, according to her critics, reveal outdated thinking about the justice system and crime. 

Balance is what the public needs and deserves, according to Schubert.

“The newly appointed attorney general has voted for and supported policies and laws that are not only destroying the rights of crime victims but are destroying public safety in this state,” she said.

“I believe that people deserve opportunities to get out of prison and become productive. I also believe strongly that violent criminals should be held accountable.”