CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, Calif. – The campaign to recall Contra Costa County District Attorney Diana Becton has officially ended after organizers missed a key filing deadline late last month, according to county election officials.
The recall effort — part of a larger backlash against progressive prosecutors across California — accused Becton of failing to hold people accountable for serious crimes. Becton, the county’s first Black and female district attorney, called the campaign politically motivated and reaffirmed her commitment to equitable public safety.
“There are no current petitions to recall the Contra Costa County DA that are active,” county election officials told the San Francisco Chronicle, confirming that the effort to remove Becton has ended. Organizers missed a key deadline to revise and resubmit their petition, a process that had already stalled multiple times since March, according to the Chronicle.
Shane Reisman, a volunteer with the campaign, told the Chronicle that the group decided to pause and reevaluate, citing the need to improve “paperwork, fundraising and advertising.” He said, “It’s making sure we can do it and do it right and be successful.”
The recall group accused Becton of failing “to secure justice for victims and their families” and claimed she refused “to hold criminals accountable,” according to quotes from their website cited in the Chronicle. They added, “We are fed up with the numerous crimes that go unaddressed.”
Becton described the effort as an “attempt to undermine the will” of Contra Costa voters, who elected her in 2018 and reelected her in 2022. Her campaign manager, Champagne Brown, said Becton’s “commitment to smart, effective and equitable public safety remains unwavering, despite misleading and politically motivated attacks.”
The Chronicle reported that the recall followed similar efforts targeting progressive prosecutors across California, including Chesa Boudin in San Francisco and Pamela Price in Alameda County. The stalled recall against Becton marks not just a procedural setback for her critics but also a reaffirmation of the political and community support behind her reform-minded approach.
As similar battles play out across the state, Contra Costa County now stands as a reminder that pushing for systemic change in the justice system often invites resistance.
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