Republican DA candidate John Sarcone, left, and Democratic candidate for DA Susan Cacace, right
By Dan Murphy
The race for Westchester District Attorney in 2024 has been the quietest DA’s race in recent memory. Jeanine Pirro, Janet DiFiore, Anthony Scarpino and Mimi Rocah, all ran spirited primary and general election campaigns.
This year’s race for DA may have been decided in the results of the democratic primary in June, between Susan Cacace and William Wagstaff. In a hard fought primary, Cacace defeated Wagstaff and is on the ballot Nov 5 on both the democratic and conservative party lines.
The republican candidate for Westchester DA is John Sarcone. Cacace refused a LWV debate with Sarcone because her campaign believed that Sarcone was not running an active campaign, had not raised any funds, and has had no social media presence.
In a press release, the LWV-Westchester wrote, “The League of Women Voters of Westchester announces that it will not be holding Candidate Forums for the Westchester District Attorney race.
“With respect to the race for Westchester County DA, Republican candidate John Sarcone had accepted the invitation for the proposed October 24, 2024 forum at the White Plains Public Library. However, Democratic candidate Susan Cacace declined to participate.
“A candidates’ meeting with only one candidate present is an “empty chair” meeting, and is not permitted under LWVW rules and its policy of nonpartisanship. LWVW regrets that these important proposed educational events for voters had to be cancelled.
“This is a lost opportunity for the public to hear directly from candidates in person and to address their own questions to them,” stated Westchester County League President Kathy Meany. “We strive to run forums in a respectful, non-partisan environment that encourages civil discourse and allows candidates to communicate with the people they are seeking to represent. It is a disappointment that there will be no such in-person opportunity for voters residing in Westchester [for purposes of the U.S. CD 17 and Westchester County DA races.”
Cacace’s campaign, through a spokesperson, explained that “Susan has always made herself accessible to people all across Westchester and will continue reaching out to voters to discuss her vision for the office and her plans to keep Westchester safe,” adding that “Her opponent, on the other hand, has no credible campaign to speak of. He has failed to raise any money, has not produced a website, has no social media presence, and zero visibility. The voters deserve better.”
Sarcone has tried to use creative methods to make news in his race for DA. On Oct. 14, at the Homefield Association Candidate’s Night in Yonkers, Sarcone was speaking on the disastrous effects of so-called “bail reform” and pointed out that the architect of bail reform, Stewart-Cousins, was in the room.
Stewart-Cousins stood up and disputed Sarcone’s views on crime and bail reform. At the end of her comments, she said, let’s continue the debate.
Sarcone accepted what he viewed as a debate challenge from Stewart-Cousins. “I accept Senator Stewart-Cousins’ debate challenge. I will debate anyone anywhere at any time on the revolving door of crime that New York State Democrats have created. New York is becoming too expensive and too dangerous for New Yorkers and voters in Westchester deserve to hear from someone… anyone… in the Democrat party about how they are going to make Westchester more safe. Candidates like my Democrat opponent who refuse to participate and refuse to debate are a threat to democracy,.“said Sarcone.
Last week, Sarcone highlighted recent incidents of crime in Larchmont and Pelham Manor. “John Sarcone blasted his opponent, Susan Cacace and her Democrat allies like the architect of the disastrous bail reform laws, Senate Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, for allowing dangerous criminals to terrorize yet another Westchester community, this time the affluent Village of Larchmont.
John Sarcone said, “New York Democrats’ radical agenda continues to terrorize Westchester residents. Democrats are nowhere to be found, while the consequences of their radical agenda literally terrorize Westchester residents.I am urging Westchester voters to vote like their lives depend on it, because they do.”
Sarcone referenced a Village of Larchmont Facebook page posted about criminals breaking and entering people’s homes in search of keys to steal people’s cars right from their garages, and a post from the Village of Pelham Manor police department to be on high alert after an uptick in break-ins, including one that occurred while an entire family slept upstairs.
We endorsed Cacace during her democratic primary race against William Wagstaff. We are not endorsing candidates in the general election. But we are disappointed that Cacace did not engage with Sarcone is a series of debates. Even though she may be well ahead and may very well become the next DA, the people of Westchester deserved to hear more about her plans to keep us safe.
But we also take umbrage with Sarcone’s pursuit of Stewart-Cousins. If he wanted to debate Stewart-Cousins, he could have run for that office.
