Commonwealth’s Attorney Stephanie Morales is on the steering committee of “Our Black Party,” a political organization to defund the police. Morales has stated explicitly that she wants to defund the police and shrink the criminal justice system.
The Code of Virginia states that Commonwealth’s Attorneys are “a part of the department of law enforcement of the county or city in which [s]he is elected or appointed.” It is unclear whether Morales’s leadership within Our Black Party conflicts with her duties as a Commonwealth attorney.
Celebrity rapper Sean Combs – also known as Puff Daddy, P. Diddy, Puffy, or Diddy – created Our Black Party last Friday. The organization’s agendas include an end to cash bail, establishment of “equity officers” at all levels of government, a guaranteed income, and legalization of “quality-of-life” offenses such as prostitution and vandalism.
One of Our Black Party’s values calls for the redistribution of power and wealth to Black people.
Combs stated that violence would be an option if President Donald Trump wins re-election. He claimed that the president is trying to incite a race war.
“I know we’re at the breaking point. There’s a new Negro, and that new black person is not scared, not fearful. They not afraid to die. They understand that this is life and violence has to be an option. If Trump’s going to be in office, there’s going to be bloodshed.”
Virginia Beach attorney Tim Anderson shared with The Virginia Star that any individual has a right to associate with who they desire – but Morales’s leadership in Our Black Party may jeopardize her integrity as a Commonwealth attorney.
“Can a Commonwealth Attorney advocate for defunding the police? Is Stephanie Morales going to be on the side of law and order, or is she on some other side? That’s what I’m trying to shake out here.”
Anderson also questioned if Morales’s Our Black Party involvement hinders her ability to serve as the prosecutor in the pending case against State Senator Louise Lucas (D-Portsmouth). Lucas is facing felony charges for damaging a monument. Morales was originally called to serve as a witness in the case, but a judge rejected the subpoena.
“We’re watching Morales’s handling of the Portsmouth prosecutions of Senator Lucas, and I think I’d be inherently concerned as a police officer. She’s supposed to be representing the police department, the law enforcement side of things.”
Senator Lucas is also one of Morales’s past top campaign contributors. Lucas’s committee in 2017, Lucas for Senate, gave Morales a total of $3,000.
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Corinne Murdock is a reporter at The Virginia Star and the Star News Network. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Stephanie Morales” by Stephanie Morales. Background Photo “Defund the Police Supporter” by morrisonbrett. CC BY 2.0.
