Gonzalez statements after second district attorney candidates debate

Kalki Yalamanchili and Deborah Gonzalez

The following was released by the Deborah Gonzalez for district attorney campaign:

District Attorney Deborah Gonzalez engaged with a predominantly Republican audience during the third candidate forum hosted by Athens Classic, Inc. last night at Piedmont Athens Regional Hospital, emphasizing her commitment to criminal justice reform. The forum, moderated by WGAU radio host Tim Bryant, witnessed some audience members booing and snickering at her statements on protecting the rights of women and LGBTQ+ individuals.

In stark contrast to her opponent, Kalki Yalamanchili, who suggested that placing truant youth into the justice system was the only method to identify those missing school, Gonzalez argued, “Counselors and teachers are best equipped to collaborate with troubled teens and their families.” She reiterated her dedication to creating community partnerships to address truancy, stating, “Investing in our youth through community programs, rather than punitive measures, is essential to building a safer, more inclusive Athens.”

The forum also featured commentary on the tragic death of 22-year-old nursing student Laken Riley, a case that has garnered national attention. Congressman Mike Collins controversially remarked, "The blood of Laken Riley is on the hands of Joe Biden, Alejandro Mayorkas, and the government of Athens-Clarke County." Yalamanchili’s MAGA supporters have politicized this tragedy, displaying signs that read, "Remember Laken Riley when you vote."

“I wanted to ensure that the prosecution was handled with the utmost care,” Gonzalez stated when asked about her decision to bring in a special assistant DA. “Given the high-profile nature of this case and my own identity, it was essential for me to approach it differently. I sought out the best person in Georgia to lead this effort.”

Dr. LaKeisha Gantt, a native Athenian and Clarke County School District Board of Education member, expressed her concerns about Yalamanchili's support from law enforcement officials. “Many of them have been part of this system for years and have been silent, complicit, or ‘neutral’ to the practices that have plagued our courts and police department before this DA ever took office,” she noted. Gantt, known for her civil society advocacy, highlighted the unrealistic expectation that transformative change can occur quickly, stating, “An unjust system does not, has not, and will never change overnight.” She also referenced the historical context of the “law and order” rhetoric, emphasizing how it has often undermined social justice efforts, particularly the Civil Rights movement.

Commissioner Tiffany Taylor added, “Deborah is always out in the community engaging our youth, nonprofit organizations, and other stakeholders. She is diligently building relationships to restore the community's faith in a system that has falsely accused, arrested, and wrongly convicted our Black and Brown fathers, sons, and brothers under past DAs.”

Local supporter Aaron Joslin also weighed in, stating, “DA Gonzalez ran openly on a progressive platform focused on expanding access to justice. Her understanding of the impact of race and income on interactions with law enforcement puts her at odds with the pro-punishment establishment in Georgia. Change cannot happen without courageous advocates such as DA Deborah Gonzalez.”

Joslin, an environmental scientist, emphasized that Gonzalez's progressive views are often undermined within the Georgia legal landscape. “There has been a sustained effort to either oust DA Gonzalez directly or through other legalistic maneuvering,” he said. He criticized the previous DAs who attacked her, noting, “The new requirements she faces were not in place before her election, and those former DAs never dealt with the same accountability.”