Eight members of the Queens City Council delegation, including Speaker Adrienne Adams, endorsed Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz for re-election, her campaign announced on May 11.
The elected leaders, from every corner of the borough, cited the DA’s efforts to engage communities, get guns off the streets, fight human trafficking, reduce gang violence, address domestic abuse, prosecute wage theft and protect workers, seniors, immigrants and youth.
“Throughout her career in public service, Melinda Katz has proven that she knows how to get results,” Adams said. “With Queens residents’ concerns about crime and fairness in our criminal justice system, Melinda has taken the lead to make our streets safer while protecting our rights.”
Councilwoman Selvena Brooks-Powers said as DA, Katz has made the criminal justice system fairer and stronger for her constituents in southeast Queens.
“She’s gotten countless guns off our streets and shows up when we need her,” Brooks-Powers said. “I’m especially pleased to see that she created a Conviction Integrity Unit as she promised, which has overturned more than 100 wrongful convictions, and I look forward to its continuing work to undo more of the injustices of the past. She’s earned re-election and I’m proud to endorse her.”
For Councilwoman Lynn Schulman, who represents the same district Katz once led when she served on the City Council, her endorsement was personal.
“Melinda Katz is a neighbor and a friend, but more importantly she has fulfilled the promises she made when she ran for DA, putting a laser focus on making Queens safer by taking down gangs and getting guns off our streets, while modernizing the office and making it more equitable, fairer and more transparent.”
Councilman James Genarro was a colleague of Katz during his first tenure on the City Council when she served between 2002 and 2009.
“Queens needs a tough, fair, experienced district attorney to ensure that our families are safe and that justice is done,” Gennaro said. “Melinda Katz has proven that she is that District Attorney, and I will do all I can on behalf of the safety of my constituents to see that Melinda gets re-elected.”
In northeast Queens, where Katz launched the Flushing Merchants Business Improvement Program last month to aid local merchants in preventing disruptive and unwanted activity within their businesses, Councilwoman Sandra Ung endorsed her re-election bid.
“Melinda Katz is successfully using the DA’s office to enhance public safety, from combating hate crimes, protecting small businesses to fighting human trafficking and domestic violence,” Ung said. “I’m proud to call her my DA, and proud to support her for re-election.”
Councilwoman Linda Lee concurred.
“Our neighborhoods, our schools, our stores and our students are safer because Melinda Katz is our district attorney,” Lee said. “From getting guns off our streets to prosecuting human trafficking to helping our small businesses, she’s doing the hard work to address people’s concerns and deliver results.”
Katz took office just months before the pandemic swept into the borough and Councilman Francisco Moya watched as his district became the epicenter of the epicenter. Her campaign repeats the mantra that despite taking office at the most turbulent of times, she provided a steady hand to keep families safe. Moya supports her run for a second term.
”From protecting immigrants’ access to a fair criminal justice system to fighting wage theft and unsafe working conditions to helping our small businesses, Melinda Katz has taken the lead on making her office more responsive and stronger,” Moya said. “She’s in the community, hearing our concerns and getting results. I’m proud to endorse her.”
Councilman Robert Holden was a civic leader for three decades before he ran for elected office.
“Melinda Katz has proven to be a sensible District Attorney who collaborates closely with me on quality of life issues, including noise complaints,” he said. “She has been an outspoken critic of criminal justice reforms that jeopardize the safety of my constituents, and that’s why I’m proud to endorse her for another term.”
Katz said she was honored to receive “tremendous support” from the leaders who represent the full diversity of the borough.
“Our work to modernize this office, keep Queens safe through unprecedented challenges, and reform and improve our criminal justice system to make it fairer, stronger and more effective is working, but it works best when we all work together,” Katz said. “While those on the far right seek to divide us with fear-mongering and falsehoods, I am proud to be working with these partners in government to deliver real results.”
Katz is facing two challengers in the June 27 Democratic Primary, retired Judge George Grasso and public defender Devian Daniels.
