Cindy Bass Gets DA Endorsement for 8th District Seat

Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams was joined by a ward leader and a Fraternal Order of Police president in endorsing Cindy Bass for the 8th District's City Council seat on Monday.

Williams, with Bass behind him, stood outside the Court of Common Pleas Family Division at 1801 Vine St. on a warm Monday morning to make his announcement.

"She has earned her stripes," Williams said.

He went on to talk about the candidate's history as a young community activist. Bass, he said, has the connections a City Council person needs to start having an immediate effect.

Bass currently works in Rep. Chaka Fattah's office.

"Crime prevention is much more important than mere excellence in crime prosecution, and Cindy is committed to doing all that she can to improve the quality of education, to doing all that she can to reduce truancy ... so that fewer Philadelphians will choose a life of crime," Williams said.

Williams was joined by FOP #5 President John McNesby, who heads up the labor union for Philadelphia police officers, in endorsing Bass.

Ward 22 Democratic Leader Rondal Couser, whose territory covers the vast majority of Mt. Airy, said at the event that his ward is supporting her as well.

Bass, for her part, said she wants to develop a close relationship with police and with the FOP if she's elected.

She said she's previously worked to secure federal funding for city police. If elected, she said, her approach to fighting crime will include establishing safe places throughout the 8th District where youth can go to stop them from becoming involved in illegal activities.

She said it made sense for her to have her news conference in front of the family court.

"If we can address the crime issue we have with young people before they find themselves in the system, we will do a lot towards curbing crime in our city," Bass said.

Even though the 22nd Ward Democrats are supporting Bass, not every ward in the district is doing so. Democrats in the 11th, 12th and 17th Wards, which cover different parts of the 8th District, have pledged their support to Verna Tyner. The 9th Ward Democrats, which covers a portion of Mt. Airy and all of Chestnut Hill, haven't pledged their support, according to Couser.

Bass has also been endorsed by the Philadelphia Inquirer and .