Bragg Wins Primary, Seeks Second Term

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    Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has secured the Democratic primary victory as he bids for reelection, following his notable involvement in the hush-money case against former President Donald Trump. Bragg emerged victorious over his opponent, Patrick Timmins, a litigator and former Bronx assistant district attorney, and now moves forward to the general election in November. In an area where approximately 70% of registered voters are Democrats, Bragg is set to contend with Republican nominee Maud Maron, a seasoned public defender and prior Congressional and City Council candidate.

    Throughout his tenure, Bragg has gained recognition as one of the nation’s leading prosecutors, frequently depicted in popular TV shows like “Law & Order.” Overseeing a massive team of 600 attorneys, Bragg heads one of the largest local prosecutor’s offices in the country.

    Bragg notably raised his profile by tackling the hush-money case involving Trump. While his predecessor, Cyrus R. Vance Jr., investigated Trump for years without indicting him, Bragg opted to concentrate on Stormy Daniels’ $130,000 payment intended to silence her alleged claims of a 2006 affair with Trump. This payment was reportedly made by Trump’s lawyer shortly before the 2016 election and recorded by Trump’s company as a legal expense. Although Trump maintains he did nothing wrong and denies any involvement with Daniels, he was found guilty of 33 felony counts for falsifying business records. Trump continues to appeal the decision, labeling the case a politically motivated “witch hunt” and criticizing Bragg frequently via social media.

    Before holding the DA position, Bragg, aged 51, served as a civil rights lawyer, federal prosecutor, and deputy to New York’s attorney general. Raised in Harlem and a Harvard graduate, Bragg is the first Black individual to assume this role. His start as DA in 2022 was met with challenges when he issued controversial instructions to avoid prosecuting and seeking bail for certain cases, prompting backlash. This led Bragg to clarify his office’s stance on not loosening actions on serious crimes. These directives have been continually criticized, with political opponents, including Trump, accusing Bragg of being “soft on crime.”

    Challenger Timmins, who has raised $154,000 compared to Bragg’s significant $2.2 million since January 2022, criticized Bragg’s memo, associating it with rising crime and perceived chaos both in the subways and on the streets. Timmins has committed to addressing subway crime more aggressively, preventing dismissals of cases due to procedural delays, and prioritizing hate crime prosecutions.

    Bragg’s campaign, contrastingly, highlighted his proactive steps to combat gun violence, support sexual assault victims, pursue hate crime offenders, and target unscrupulous landlords and employers.

    Recently, Bragg’s office has juggled several high-profile cases, including the Luigi Mangione prosecution under a post-9/11 terrorism charge, and dealing with a Marine veteran, Daniel Penny, in a controversial subway safety and self-defense case. Both defendants have pleaded not guilty. Furthermore, Bragg took over the Harvey Weinstein sex crime retrial after an appellate court’s intervention. In a complex court room conclusion, Weinstein was convicted of one primary charge, acquitted of another, and faced an inconclusive decision on a third charge. Bragg is determined to pursue this charge in another trial.