After his failure to prosecute sex offenders like Harvey Weinstein, his botching of the investigation of Ivanka and Donald Trump, Jr. lying to prospective customers and a far-reaching campaign finance scandal, many New Yorkers are questioning the conduct of Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance.
One of the most troubling incidents was his failed prosecution of Abacus Federal Savings Bank, the first Chinese-owned bank in Chinatown and a vital community institution for our underserved immigrant community.
Although the tiny bank self-reported three corrupt employees and maintained one of the lowest default rates in the country, Vance decided to spend millions of taxpayer dollars and over five years prosecuting Abacus – only to return “not guilty” verdicts on all involved.
Vance – and the office he oversees – was widely criticized for prosecutorial overreach and racial undertones – including chaining 15 employees of the bank together and marching them in front of assembled reporters.
Now, Vance is teaming up with Trump’s Attorney General, Jeff Sessions, to expand law enforcement’s ability to access encrypted personal data on our smartphones and other devices – a move that would jeopardize the safety and security of some of our most sensitive data.
Vance’s record makes clear we need to stand up to him and his encryption proposals. We must protect our privacy and rights.
Warren Chan is a community advocate from Bensonhurst, Brooklyn and is the President of the Asian Community United Society.
