The contest for District Attorney is the most important race in Ulster County this year by far. The choice is between Democrat Emmanuel (“Manny”) Nneji and Republican Michael Kavanaugh. Manny will partner with our Sheriff, Juan Figueroa, to emphasize to crime prevention, victim advocacy, restorative justice, and equal rights under the law. Kavanaugh, though claiming now to be an “independent” so that he can garner more Democratic votes in an increasingly blue Ulster County, will return us to the traditional Republican “lock them up” approach.
“A fair administration of laws is the right of everyone in Ulster County. Justice is, in the end, how we guarantee ourselves our safety and enjoyment of our freedoms. Unfairness to any is unfairness to all.” –Manny Nneji
Manny is currently the Chief Assistant DA under Dave Clegg, who has decided not to run for re-election. Manny has a 30+ year history with the DA’s office and, under both Republican administrations and under Dave Clegg, has tried the office’s most important cases. Since he emigrated from Nigeria in 1980, Manny has embraced our Democratic values and has been a registered Democrat for many years. He is a graduate of SUNY Buffalo Law School and has devoted his career to protecting our county’s residents.
The DA’s office was the exclusive domain of Republicans for over 150 years until 2019.
The Republicans are eager to take back the only county-wide office they have any hope of attaining in the near future, so they have mounted a well-financed campaign to defeat Manny and undo the common-sense criminal justice reforms begun under Dave Clegg.
We need to keep Ulster County pointed in a progressive direction, not backwards to a Republican past. Please consider actively supporting Manny Nneji for District Attorney by not just voting for him in November, but by contributing financially what you can to his campaign, hosting a meet-and-greet in your town, or pitching in as a volunteer for the myriad tasks that need doing between now and November 7.