The League of Women Voters of Bucks County held a live-streamed forum on Monday, Oct. 18, between the two candidates vying for the office of Bucks County District Attorney – incumbent Matt Weintraub (Republican) and his Democratic opponent Antonetta Stancu.
Weintraub, a native of Upper Southampton Township and alum of William Tennent High School, was appointed district attorney in 2016 and, on Nov. 8, 2017, elected to serve a full, four-year term by voters. Accomplishments during his tenure include spearheading community response and prevention programs, such as Bucks County Police Assisting In Recovery; bringing Cosmo DiNardo to justice for murdering four young men in Solebury Township; and being the first district attorney in the U.S. to purchase the universal license to the film and program Walking While Black: L.O.V.E. is the Answer.
“This is about leadership, and my leadership has been tested and proven in times of crisis, including COVID, including horrific murder cases and, frankly, through civic unrest,” Weintraub said during his opening statement. “And that is exactly what I promise you for the next four years.”
Stancu, a current resident of Doylestown, is a proud first-generation American. Her father immigrated from Romania and her mother from Yugoslavia. She is the first in her family to attend high school, college and, finally, law school at Hofstra University, where she studied comparative constitutional law under the direction of late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Her parents’ determination to achieve the “American dream” inspired her.
“It’s that work ethic and that sense of responsibility to our community that propelled me into a 16-year career as a prosecutor,” Stancu said, adding that her experience includes time in Bronx, New York and near the border in Texas, and handling violent and major crimes in Bucks County. “I’m running for district attorney to provide a safer future for our families.”
Ahead of the forum, residents had the opportunity to submit questions for the candidates, which were read by a trained moderator. When asked to describe the qualifications that make him the best candidate, Weintraub said, “I’ve been working at this for 28 years. I’m not perfect. A lot of my decisions will be second guessed. But I assure you that they will all be based on principle and not politics, and that’s what sets me apart from my opponent.” Stancu reflected on handling major gun and drug trafficking cases, homicides and home invasions, and how her opponent previously referred to her as “Bucks County’s secret weapon.”
Stancu named mental health as the biggest challenge facing the District Attorney’s office. She expressed annoyance that, going into the COVID-19 pandemic, Bucks was the only county in the Philadelphia region that didn’t have its own mental health court. Weintraub shared that such a court has now been established to get individuals help rather than thrown in jail.
He said the biggest challenge is the potential influx of crime from Philadelphia and Trenton, New Jersey. To prevent this, he’s working to keep county police trained, ensure accountability when someone commits a crime, and implement pro-social activities at schools countywide to teach kids how to make smart choices at a young age. Stancu had a similar outlook and informed the public of a police-youth alliance program she implemented with state troopers and the Bristol Township Police Department at Keystone Elementary.
Regarding crime victims, Weintraub said they are his office’s No. 1 priority, in addition to any loved ones impacted. He hired therapy dog Daisy to comfort them. Stancu took issue with the current delay in justice, especially when it comes to domestic violence cases, which she said rose over 100 percent in Bucks County between 2015-2018. “Did you know that it takes about six months for a victim to actually see a courtroom, from the time the incident occurs and they go before a judge? Six months is crucial and it’s time they can be preyed upon,” she said. “This is a major downfall in this system that we need to correct.”
In response to a resident’s inquiry about what can be done to strengthen the relationship between police and the district attorney, Weintraub stressed, “We are not in Philadelphia. I have a fantastic relationship with the police departments that I work with daily.” All 39 police chiefs are part of the Bucks County Police Chiefs Association, which Weintraub is a member of. “You can’t just sit in your ivory tower,” he said. “You can’t just come up with theoretical ideas. You have to go out to where the people are.” Stancu agreed that local officers are “proud to serve Bucks County” and “want bad apples to be held accountable.”
When asked how they would retain a qualified group of prosecutors, Stancu called for a more diverse group of individuals. She said there’s not a single African American in the office at the moment. Weintraub agreed that his office can and must do better, and said he has engaged the county’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion to assist.
The final question tasked the two with naming their proudest achievement to date. Weintraub said he’s “not a bragger” and is happy to serve his county. A highlight for Stancu was receiving the Outstanding Prosecutor of the Year Award in 2017 from the Pennsylvania Narcotics Officers Association. She said, “Officers who work countless hours at trying to make sure that our drug traffickers are off the street picked me because of the work I did to assist them and I’m really proud of that.”
In her closing statement, Stancu held fast to her mission to make mental health, substance use disorder and violence top priorities if elected. “What we’re doing isn’t working,” she said. “It’s time to make changes. I’m someone who will bring you those changes.”
Weintraub countered, “I haven’t heard any plans. All I’ve heard are scare tactics … People don’t remember what you say, they don’t remember what you did. They remember how you made them feel … You know me. I’m real. This is me and I pledge to give you everything I have every day to keep you safe.”
Polls are open on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 2, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Visit buckscounty.gov/1254/Voters for more information.
Samantha Bambino can be reached at sbambino@newspapermediagroup.com
