Spring Break
Williams wins majority, becomes Philadelphia DA
Furrah Qureshi
Issue date: 11/6/09 Section: News
On Nov. 4 Seth Williams secured an almost three to one majority of votes against Michael Untermeyer, becoming Philadelphia's new district attorney and Pennsylvania's first African American to be elected as a district attorney.
According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, Williams will head an office of more than 300 assistant prosecutors and 250 supporting staff members.
Williams served as an assistant prosecutor and city inspector general in the past. He worked closely with former district attorney Lynne Abraham as an assistant prosecutor for 10 years. In 2005 he unsuccessfully challenged Abraham for the spot as district attorney, publicly disagreeing with her on the subject of capital punishment.
Williams' ascent to district attorney has been marked by obstacles. He was abandoned by his parents and left in an orphanage at birth before being adopted as a toddler. After losing in his first attempt at becoming district attorney, last winter's Democratic primary was particularly scathing.
With five candidates competing, one of Williams' opponents brought a lawsuit against him for improper campaign spending. He was removed from the ballot by an Election Court judge, only to be reinstated 13 days later by the Commonwealth Court.
The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that Williams' felt the lawsuit backfired and "[he] got all kinds of free publicity from that." His campaign slogan became "a new day, a new DA." In the May 19 primary, he won with 42 percent of the vote.
Williams plans on establishing a stronger approach within the DA's office against gun crimes by bolstering the Gun Violence Task Force, a collaborative effort between the District Attorney's office and the state attorney general.
On his campaign Web site, Williams states that he intends to reduce prison overcrowding, create a decline in the number of young men at risk for becoming criminals, increase witness protection and focus on the most dangerous of crimes.
"I think it's disappointing, Untermeyer was a great candidate," Mike Hess, chairman of Drexel's College Republicans, said. Hess acknowledged that Philadelphia has had a long history of electing democratic officials.
"We're really happy; we endorsed Williams last winter," Giancarlo Stefanoni, president of the Drexel Dems, said. "He put out a lot of new ideas."
"It was expected, democrats outnumber republicans [in Philadelphia]," Stefanoni said.
To many Philadelphia residents, Williams' victory was no surprise. He was endorsed by the Philadelphia Inquirer and ran on the Democratic ticket in a city where democrats outnumber Republicans by more than 6 to 1.
According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, Williams will head an office of more than 300 assistant prosecutors and 250 supporting staff members.
Williams served as an assistant prosecutor and city inspector general in the past. He worked closely with former district attorney Lynne Abraham as an assistant prosecutor for 10 years. In 2005 he unsuccessfully challenged Abraham for the spot as district attorney, publicly disagreeing with her on the subject of capital punishment.
Williams' ascent to district attorney has been marked by obstacles. He was abandoned by his parents and left in an orphanage at birth before being adopted as a toddler. After losing in his first attempt at becoming district attorney, last winter's Democratic primary was particularly scathing.
With five candidates competing, one of Williams' opponents brought a lawsuit against him for improper campaign spending. He was removed from the ballot by an Election Court judge, only to be reinstated 13 days later by the Commonwealth Court.
The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that Williams' felt the lawsuit backfired and "[he] got all kinds of free publicity from that." His campaign slogan became "a new day, a new DA." In the May 19 primary, he won with 42 percent of the vote.
Williams plans on establishing a stronger approach within the DA's office against gun crimes by bolstering the Gun Violence Task Force, a collaborative effort between the District Attorney's office and the state attorney general.
On his campaign Web site, Williams states that he intends to reduce prison overcrowding, create a decline in the number of young men at risk for becoming criminals, increase witness protection and focus on the most dangerous of crimes.
"I think it's disappointing, Untermeyer was a great candidate," Mike Hess, chairman of Drexel's College Republicans, said. Hess acknowledged that Philadelphia has had a long history of electing democratic officials.
"We're really happy; we endorsed Williams last winter," Giancarlo Stefanoni, president of the Drexel Dems, said. "He put out a lot of new ideas."
"It was expected, democrats outnumber republicans [in Philadelphia]," Stefanoni said.
To many Philadelphia residents, Williams' victory was no surprise. He was endorsed by the Philadelphia Inquirer and ran on the Democratic ticket in a city where democrats outnumber Republicans by more than 6 to 1.
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