U.S. Rep. Swalwell backs recall effort against Alameda County DA Pamela Price

OAKLAND, Calif. - East Bay Congressman Eric Swalwell formally threw his support Wednesday for the recall effort against Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price, saying she failed the victims of violent crime.

"The cops catch, and Price releases," Swalwell said outside Hayward City Hall while flanked by crime victims and those who want Price removed from office.

Price was elected on a platform of reforming the criminal justice system. Swalwell says he supports that concept but that Price has gone too far.

"What we have right now is two defense tables in every Alameda County courtroom. There’s two defense tables, and there’s no prosecutor," Swalwell said.

Swalwell worked as a prosecutor in the Alameda County DA's office for seven years under two of Price's predecessors, Tom Orloff and Nancy O'Malley. Swalwell prosecuted everything from hate crimes to murder cases, including those in which children were victims.

"This recall is about putting a prosecutor and accountability back into place so we all can be safe," Swalwell said.

Price has at times declined to charge the most severe gun enhancements that had often been lodged by her predecessors.

Her office has also been busy prosecuting officers accused of misconduct.

She's opted not to file special circumstances on top of murder charges in cases like the separate freeway shooting deaths of 23-month-old Jasper Wu in Oakland and 5-year-old Eliyanah Crisostomo in Fremont. 

In a statement, Price's campaign said in part, "Congressman Swalwell's actions have raised questions about whom he truly represents and what impact his support may have on democratic values in our community. His support for an effort that undermines a fellow Democrat and rejects the position of local Democrats has left many of his constituents feeling betrayed."

The campaign also noted Swalwell was a staunch supporter of O'Malley. "His actions suggest he may be prioritizing personal or political interests over the needs of the people he represents," the statement said.

Swalwell was joined by supporters of the recall effort, including two mothers who have lost sons to gun violence.

"I’m left by myself, abandoned by DA Price. She didn’t do justice by my child," said Laurie Mohs, whose son, Blake Mohs, was a loss prevention worker at Home Depot in Pleasanton who was shot and killed by a shoplifter.

"She continues to regard us as less than the criminals, when we are the victims' families. We are the ones she is supposed to support," Mohs said.

Recall organizer Brenda Grisham's son was shot and killed in Oakland.

"The things that Pamela Price has done over the year and a half she has been in office should not be done anywhere. There's one thing to change the system, but there's another thing to 'change the system,'" she said.

Their backdrop Wednesday was the Children's Memorial Statue outside Hayward City Hall, honoring children who died from violence in Alameda County.

Henry Lee is a KTVU crime reporter. E-mail Henry at Henry.Lee@fox.com and follow him on Twitter @henrykleeKTVU and www.facebook.com/henrykleefan