The next Manhattan district attorney could well inherit several of the high-profile cases brought by outgoing prosecutor Cy Vance. 


What You Need To Know

  • Vance issued a subpoena for former president's records, including tax returns

  • Candidates to replace him are treading carefully in discussing ongoing legal matter

  • But each says their skill set and values make them best-suited to lead that investigation, if it comes to it

Among them is the investigation into Donald Trump’s finances, which is focused around potential fraud. 

The Manhattan District Attorney’s office now has records including the former president’s tax returns following a U.S. Supreme Court decision against Trump’s efforts to block their release.

While the eight Democratic candidates in the DA race can’t say much at risk of influencing the case, here’s what they told NY1 about why they’re equipped to take it on.

Tahanie Aboushi, civil rights attorney

“I’ve always committed to never putting a badge or bank account above the law. Communities have been frustrated with those who are powerful and privileged doing whatever they want in the city with impunity. I come in as someone who, again, has been fearless in the face of power, that is un-bought and not influenced.”

Alvin Bragg, former chief deputy attorney general of New York State

“I have a history of doing complex litigation — some of that involving Trump himself — so I led a Trump Foundation case where we sued him and family members and the foundation for their misconduct, led that to a successful conclusion. We also sued the Trump administration over 100 times on programmatic matters from DACA to travel bans and family separation.”

Liz Crotty, defense attorney, former Manhattan assistant district attorney

“I worked on the Oil-for-Food case, where we investigated the finances of Saddam Hussein and his connection with the U.N. Oil-for-Food program. It was a multinational investigation that went on for two years. … And I also worked on the 9/11 terror funding case, so I have a lot of experience with working on large-scale, investigatory cases.”

Tali Farhadian Weinstein, former general counsel in the Brooklyn district attorney’s office

“I am ready and willing to follow the facts wherever they may lead. And I have experience running complex, white-collar investigations, investigations that take many years. I’ve prosecuted tax crimes, including tax evasive. But I think it’s about more than that, I think it’s about having the depth and the breadth of experience in different legal institutions to be able to know where a federal jurisdiction ends and a state jurisdictions, to be able to take on new and unprecedented legal questions.”

Diana Florence, former Manhattan assistant district attorney

“I am the only candidate in the race that has brought cases against big real estate and construction fraud — the very same industries that Trump worked in himself — and secured criminal convictions. So I have a deep experience in prosecuting and rooting out corruption wherever it lives.”

Lucy Lang, former Manhattan assistant district attorney

“I am committed to ensuring that the powerful and well-connected are held to the same standard of justice as every New Yorker. So that means taking strong action to ensure that the office is free from even the appearance of impropriety.”

Dan Quart, state Assembly member, criminal defense attorney

“It’s incumbent upon all candidates running in this race not to make any statements that suggest we’ve prejudged the case. I’ll follow the facts and evidence wherever they take us. And the same standard of justice will apply to an ex-president that it would to anyone who the evidence shows may have committed a serious crime.” 

Eliza Orlins, public defender

“It’s incredibly important that we have a district attorney who is fearless when it comes to taking people with wealth, power, connections, to taking on prosecutions that may be difficult, unpopular. If Donald Trump committed a crime here in Manhattan, I will prosecute him. Yes, I have to review the facts, review the evidence and make sure that we apply the law fairly, but I think that is absolutely something I would continue.”