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A judge in Arizona delivered a blow to George Soros-backed Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg this week after refusing to extradite a murder suspect to New York City.
During a hearing, Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell argued against sending murder suspect Raad Almansoori, 26, back to Bragg’s jurisdiction after the suspect was accused of beating a woman to death at a Manhattan hotel.
Mitchell argued that Bragg does not have a good reputation for treating violent suspects too well. Court Commissioner Barbara Spencer ruled in favor of Mitchell, which dealt a huge blow to Bragg, the Washington Examiner reported.
“Nothing can happen on the fugitive case other than there could be what’s called a governor’s directive, which is the document that would hold you instead of the governor’s warrant, or you would choose to sign a waiver,” Spencer told Almansoori in court, KSAZ-TV reported.
Bragg immediately responded, claiming that his priority was the pursuit of justice. “Seeking justice for victims and survivors is our priority at the Manhattan D.A.’s Office,” said a spokesperson for the DA’s office, the New York Post reported.
“We do not stand on ceremony but prioritize the integrity of the process,” they continued. “We are proceeding as we do in every case involving an out-of-state arrest: following the facts and the law to ensure justice is served.”
Prosecutors in Manhattan can still petition Gov. Katie Hobbs (D) to override the judge’s ruling and agree to extradite Almansoori.
Mitchell made waves when she subtly criticized Bragg for what some perceived as his lenient approach to violent criminals. It served as the basis for her decision not to extradite Almansoori, who allegedly fled to Arizona following the murder of Denisse Oleas-Arancibia, 38.
“Having observed the treatment of violent criminals in the New York area by the Manhattan D.A. there, Alvin Bragg,” Mitchell told reporters last month. “I think it’s safer to keep him here and keep him in custody so that he cannot be out doing this to individuals either in our state, county or anywhere in the United States.”
Police say that the suspect also confessed to stabbing another woman while sexually assaulting yet another after arriving in Arizona, the Examiner noted.
Immigration has become the No. 1 issue this election cycle for a growing majority of Americans, according to a new survey.
“Significantly more Americans name immigration as the most important problem facing the U.S. (28%) than did a month ago (20%). Immigration has now passed the government as the most often cited problem, after the two issues tied for the top position the past two months. The government ranked first each month from January through November 2023,” the Gallup polling firm noted in a report published this week.
According to the most recent poll, 20% of Americans cite the government as their biggest issue, with the economy (12%) and inflation (11%) following closely behind. Immigration is the only issue that has shown meaningful change in the past month,” Gallup noted further.
The issue was of paramount concern for Americans during Trump’s administration too, especially after he was forced to deal with a surge of illegal crossings in 2018 while fighting a GOP-led Congress to get funding for his promised border wall.
In a separate query in the survey, a record-high 55% of U.S. adults, marking an increase of eight points from the previous year, indicated that “large numbers of immigrants entering the United States illegally” represent a critical threat to U.S. vital interests. The previous high was recorded at 50% in 2004, Gallup noted.
“While many Americans regard the economy, generally, or inflation, specifically, as the most important problem facing the U.S., far more people name immigration. Immigration now sits alone at the top of the most important problem list, something it has done only occasionally in Gallup’s trend and not since 2019,” Gallup noted in conclusion, adding: “Although their economic assessments have improved, Americans remain largely dissatisfied with the state of the nation and the job federal leaders are doing.”