David Soares

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P. David Soares (born October 26, 1969, Brava, Cape Verde) is the current Albany County District Attorney. He is a Democrat.

Contents

[edit] Personal life

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Soares was the youngest of the six children of Lucas and Lidia Soares. When he was six years old his family moved to Pawtucket, Rhode Island. He received a Bachelor's Degree in communications from Cornell University. He graduated from Albany Law School in 1999. He married Tina Pantuso and they have two children.

[edit] Law career

Soares worked his way through Albany Law School as an intern for the Albany International Airport Authority, and later for the Albany County, New York District Attorney's office. He also worked with the Albany Law School AIDS law clinic for prisoners' legal services. Upon graduation, he was hired as an assistant district attorney by then-DA Sol Greenberg.

[edit] Political career

In 2004, Soares defeated incumbent District Attorney Paul Clyne in a primary and in the general election he defeated Clyne (Independence Party) and Roger J. Cusick (Republican).
September 2004 Democratic Primary election for district attorney[1]

  • David Soares, 14,909 votes, or 60.5%
  • Paul Clyne, 9,741 votes, or 39.5%

November 2004 election for district attorney[2]

  • David Soares (D), 75,610 votes, or 54.6%
  • Roger J. Cusick (R), 57,202 votes, 41.3%
  • Paul Clyne (I), 5,677 votes, or 4.1%

Prior to the Democratic primary election for DA of Albany County, New York, Paul Clyne had been considered a "shoo-in" incumbent by the local political establishment. This prediction, however, failed to materialize as Soares won by a landslide. As a result, one particular important New York political pundit, WNYC radio host Brian Lehrer, called Soares' victory one of the "most stunning political upsets" in New York history.[citation needed]

[edit] Political career plans

There was speculation in early 2007 in the local and national media that Soares may run for re-election as DA, or for higher office, in 2008.

Soares was featured in Vibe Magazine, in which interview he discussed his goals and hopes for his career. [3] On October 26, 2007, Soares was mentioned in the largest local daily newspaper as a possible replacement for Congressman Mike McNulty in the 2008 race for Congress in the 21st congressional district of New York.[4] However, he has opted to run for re-election instead.[5]

Former DA Clyne is opposing his successor for re-election, and the Albany County Democratic candidate selection committee refused to endorse either candidate.[6] However, the full county committee unanimously endorsed Soares for re-election just one month later.[7]

[edit] Political criticism

Soares has faced some criticism. His purported drug policy reform position has been disputed by at least one defense lawyer, while some members of Albany police and others consider Soares soft on drugs. He has been criticized for his prosecution of defendants from Florida for selling steroids to residents of Albany County. Some feel the criticism is politically motivated.[5]

In March 2008 State Senate Republicans asserted that Soares engaged in a whitewash of former Governor Eliot Spitzer's role in the Troopergate scandal. Soares determined Spitzer lied to prosecutors but declined to press charges against the fomer Governor, who had resigned over his unrelated violation of prostitution laws. "Soares botched this thing so badly that it is amazing. Here he has knowledge — that the governor lied to him and he did nothing,” said Sen. George Winner, R-Elmira, who is heading a separate Senate investigation into the affair."[8]

In an editorial, the Times Union (which had been the original conduit for the attempted smear of Senator Bruno) noted, "Mr. Soares has rightly concluded that it would serve no purpose to seek a perjury indictment of Mr. Spitzer because the former governor did not speak with the district attorney's office under oath." [9] He claims to be "unfazed by critics."[5] One such critic was Fred Dicker of the New York Post who wrote "Soares makes a stunning admission: that he had scant interest in prosecuting anyone in this affair. And that he went out of his way, shamefully, to protect the former governor." [10]

[edit] Prosecutions

[edit] Murder of Peter Porco

Soares' offcie's first big case was the murder case of Peter Proco, an attorney, in 2005. ADA Michael McDermott secured a guilty verdict for the murder against his son, Christopher Porco.

[edit] Government integrity prosecutions

In October 2006, Soares opened an investigation into New York State Comptroller Alan Hevesi on allegations of defrauding the government. On December 22, 2006, Hevesi accepted a plea bargain from Soares which called for Hevesi to plead guilty to one count of defrauding the government based on his personal use of state employees to care for his ailing wife, in lieu of a grand jury indictment.[11]

On January 3, 2007, Soares said he would open investigations into wrongdoings in the New York state departments of Education, Health, Motor Vehicles, Labor and Insurance. [12]

Soares investigated the so-called Troopergate scandal in August and September 2007, and found that Governor Eliot Spitzer and his staff broke no laws.[13] He re-opened his investigation amid much criticism.[14][15]

[edit] Steroids prosecutions

The Albany Country DA's office under Soares has prosecuted several defendants for selling illegal steroids to Major League Baseball players, and representatives of the Mitchell Commission met at least twice with Soares over this issue.[16] Soares secured the conviction of a physician who prescribed steroids to baseball players and other persons who the doctor had never examined.[17]

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ Albany County Board of Elections official web site results for September 14, 2004 primary election. Accessed January 9, 2008.
  2. ^ Albany County Board of Elections official web site results for November 2, 2004 general election. Accessed January 9, 2008.
  3. ^ Keith Murphy, David Soares: The Law, August 20, 2007, referenced at [http://www.vibe.com/juice07/2007/08/david_soares_npg/ Vibe Magazine web site].
  4. ^ Marlin, Rick, McNulty won't run again: 10-term congressman plans announcement; move creates wide-open race for seat, Albany Times-UnionOctober 26, 2007 [1]. Accessed October 26, 2007.
  5. ^ a b c Robert Gavin, "Soares unfazed by critics: Amid Troopergate probe, DA says he's not worried about re-election, Albany Times-Union, April 1, 2008, found atCritics article. Accessed April 1, 2008.
  6. ^ DeMare, Carol, "No endorsement so far from DA panel: Neither Soares nor Clyne gets backing of Albany County party's screening committee", Albany Times-Union, Tuesday, April 22, 2008, found at Times Union story of April 22, 2008. Accessed May 5, 2008.
  7. ^ DeMare, Carol, "Albany Democrats bolt party meeting", Albany Times-Union, Thursday, May 22, 2008, found at Times Union story of May 22, 2008. Accessed May 22, 2008.
  8. ^ Buffalo News story
  9. ^ Times Union Editorial
  10. ^ NY Post Opinion
  11. ^ Jochnowitz, Jay (November 22, 2006). Hevesi’s Ride Ends (HTML). Albany Times Union.
  12. ^ Karlin, Rick (January 3, 2007). 4 state agencies scrutinized (HTML). Albany Times Union.
  13. ^ Rick Karlin, Soares probe clears Spitzer - Prosecutor's exam of Troopergate finds no law broken by governor, staff, Friday, September 21, 2007, front page, Albany Times Union, found at [2], retrieved September 21, 2007.
  14. ^ Elizabeth Benjamin, Albany DA David Soares to release second report on Troopergate scandal, Monday, March 24, 2008, New York Daily News, found at [3], retrieved March 27, 2008.
  15. ^ Eliot's Other Whores, Tuesday, March 25, 2008, [New York Post]], found at [4], retrieved March 27, 2008.
  16. ^ Brendan J. Lyons, "MLB panel, soares confer:Names linked to DA's probe likely to be of interest to pro baseball, Albany Times Union, September 12, 2007, front page.
  17. ^ Robert Gavin, "Steroids prescriber going to prison: Ex-doctor who pleaded guilty to writing prescriptions for patients she never saw to serve 3 to 6 years, Albany Times-Union, January 15, 2008, found at Albany Times-Union article of January 15, 2008. Accessed January 16, 2008.


Preceded by
Paul Clyne		 Albany County District Attorney
2004 – Present		 Succeeded by
TBA