OPINION:
I recently attended a community meeting chaired by my wife at which the featured speaker was the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, Jeanine Pirro.
A brief introduction highlighted the importance of her role, both locally and nationwide, given the many investigations and cases of national concern that emanate from the nation’s capital. Then Ms. Pirro was invited to offer her perspective on law enforcement.
She immediately drew a clear distinction between her approach and that of her Democratic predecessors.
As Ms. Pirro reminded her audience, she is a strong believer in enforcing the laws on the books and using that enforcement to make the public safer. Criminals need to be pursued, she intoned, and they must bear the consequences of their actions.
Ms. Pirro did not mince words as she described her frustration with certain laws in the District of Columbia. She noted, in particular, her opposition to laws that make it exceedingly difficult to prosecute perpetrators younger than 18, even when they commit heinous crimes.
The District has many laws that make it challenging, if not virtually impossible, to pursue recidivist teenagers who commit egregious crimes and leave a trail of pain and suffering in their wake.
Even if convictions are obtained, these perpetrators are often sentenced merely to soft rehabilitation measures and are frequently exempted from any punishment.
As evidence that her approach has benefited D.C. residents, Ms. Pirro cited the dramatic reduction in most major crime categories in the city over the past 12 months.
At the conclusion of her remarks, the judge responded to audience questions. She didn’t flinch when one asker alleged that her prosecution of crime unfairly targeted minority youths. In response, she emphasized that her pursuit of justice was carried out with firmness but also fairness. As she said, she does not care about the perpetrators’ backgrounds; she merely wants to get them off the street.
Ms. Pirro’s presentation was compelling and powerful. She exuded confidence and devotion to her mission.
I expected that she would receive strong support in fulfilling her prosecutorial tasks, but I soon discovered this was not the case.
I learned that many community residents had refused to attend Ms. Pirro’s presentation. Even more disturbing were comments made to me regarding her appearance before the event. Friends and neighbors used strong language to express their disapproval, none of which was based on her qualifications or job performance.
One saw fit to call Ms. Pirro a “monster.” When asked why, he simply walked away, giving no explanation. Another individual referred to her as a “horrible person,” once again without providing any substantiation.
The unspoken reason for the reactions is that Ms. Pirro was appointed by President Trump. This guilt-by-association seems to mean there is no need for rational analysis or explanation. Once again, the profound emotions engendered by Mr. Trump shut down thoughtful dialogue.
Before the recent community meeting, I did not hold any particular view regarding Ms. Pirro. I was aware of her presence on the Fox cable channel for many years, and that she was known for her straight talk on numerous subjects.
I had not even planned to attend the meeting because of other commitments, but I did so at my wife’s request and, frankly, out of curiosity. I am glad I went.
The Jeanine Pirro I saw and heard was not the caricature that her cable persona seems to have created. I saw and heard a woman who exuded the kind of competence we want in our public servants, and whose ability to articulate her views, even when confronted with overt hostility, was impressive.
I hope that those with a visceral dislike of everything related to Mr. Trump are willing to be rational and to give Ms. Pirro the benefit of the doubt in her role as U.S. attorney. By doing so, they will help promote the public safety agenda we so sorely need.
• Gerard Leval is a partner in the Washington office of a national law firm and author of “Lobbying for Equality: Jacques Godard and the Struggle for Jewish Civil Rights during the French Revolution,” published by HUC Press.
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