In First Mailer Sacramento District Attorney Candidate Phillips Ties Schubert to Sheriff Scott Jones, Trump

April 17, 2018 |

A sign that national politics will be playing a role in local election started to appear in Sacramento County mailboxes.

On Monday, April 16 the first mailer appeared in at least one mailbox in Elk Grove. The mailer was from Noah Phillip who is challenging incumbent Sacramento County District Attorney Ann Marie Schubert.

The two-sided glossy card stock letter sized contained the typical copy you would expect to find on such a mailer. One side extolls the virtues of the candidate while the other side takes shots at the opponent.

This mailer holds true to that formula, but with a twist. Phillips ties Schubert with two politicians reportedly unpopular with some independent and many Democratic voters.

Those politicians are Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones and President Donald Trump.

Even though they are already firmly aligned politically, Phillips reminds voters of the close affiliation with between Jones and Schubert.

Phillips also ups the ante and ties Jones to the President, who if national polls are reflective of voter sentiment in Sacramento County, is viewed negatively by a majority of people. Additionally, Phillips ties Schubert to Jones saying she "refuses to prosecute Trump's yes man - Sheriff Scott Jones."

In an apparent bid to progressives and to energize voters following the Stephon Clark shooting case, Phillips also notes the Schubert refused to prosecute Sacramento Police officers involved in the 2016  Joseph Mann shooting. Additionally, even though the investigation is ongoing, Phillips reminds voters Schubert has not pressed for charges for the two unidentified police offices in the shooting death of Stephon Clark.

While tying Schubert to Trump via her close relationship with Trump could easily appeal to a broad swath of voters shocked by the President's behavior, linking her to the Stephon Clark case could be fraught with risk given the ongoing nature of the investigation. 

A 20-year veteran of the Sacramento District Attorney's office, Phillips is doggedly seeking to defeat his boss by building a substantial war chest. On Thursday, April 19 San Francisco County District Attorney George Gascón will be hosting an event benefitting Phillips.   

On June 5 Phillips and Schubert will face off, how much money each can raise, and the events surrounding not only Stephon Clark but actions of Donald Trump could well be a determining factor in who succeeds.