Virginia Democrat Dan Storck Defends Steve Descano in DOJ Probe Over 2 Dozen Arrests
Updated
Updated · Fox News · May 14
Virginia Democrat Dan Storck Defends Steve Descano in DOJ Probe Over 2 Dozen Arrests
2 articles · Updated · Fox News · May 14
Fairfax County Supervisor Dan Storck called the Justice Department’s civil-rights investigation into prosecutor Steve Descano a “hit job,” saying the Trump administration was targeting an official it dislikes.
The probe is examining whether Descano’s office considered “immigration consequences” in charging and plea deals in ways that violated federal anti-discrimination rules tied to recipients of federal funding.
The scrutiny follows backlash over Descano’s handling of Abdul Jalloh — a Sierra Leone national with more than two dozen prior arrests — who is accused of killing 41-year-old Stephanie Minter at a Fairfax bus stop in February.
Descano said his policies are fair and legal, while Storck said repeat offenders should face consequences through the courts and that law enforcement should focus on serious crimes.
The case has widened beyond Fairfax politics: Descano, whose campaign has received more than $600,000 from a Soros-backed PAC, testified Thursday before a House Judiciary immigration subcommittee alongside Sheriff Stacey Kincaid.
How does federal scrutiny of local prosecutors affect trust between communities and law enforcement?
When does a prosecutor's discretion in charging non-citizens become a federal civil rights violation?
What systemic changes could prevent repeat violent offenders from being released back into the community?