All nine Rochester City Council members signed a letter Saturday to New York State Attorney General Letitia James calling for an investigation into the conduct of Monroe County District Attorney Sandra Doorley.
This comes one day after the Town of Webster released police body camera footage of an interaction between a police officer and the DA on April 22, in which Doorley appears combative toward the officer who had tried to pull her over for speeding.
After the officer says he doesn’t understand Doorley’s “hostility” toward him, she responds, “You’re being [expletive].”
She continues, “I am the DA of Monroe County.”
“I understand that,” the officer replies, “but that doesn’t give you a right to go 55 [mph] in a 35 [mph speed limit zone], and you even admitted to me that you went 55 [mph].”
Doorley then responds, “I don’t care. I don’t really care.”
In the footage, the DA said she didn’t know the officer was trying to pull her over.
“Recent body camera footage, shared by the Webster Police Department, has raised significant concerns regarding Ms. Doorley’s behavior during a traffic stop in Webster, New York,” the letter reads in part. “This incident has led us to question her fitness to serve as District Attorney, and we believe an investigation by your office is warranted.”
In the letter, the public officials argue that city councilmembers and the district attorney are both held to the highest standards of ethics, accountability and respect for the law.
“Given the gravity of this matter, we are asking for a thorough investigation into Ms. Doorley’s conduct,” the letter reads. “It is crucial to determine whether her actions during the traffic stop reflect broader issues that could impact the fair administration of justice in Monroe County.”
Doorley released a statement on Thursday, in which she claimed to have realized the officer intended for her to stop and called the police chief while on the road to say it was her. In the footage, she was already out of her vehicle and calling the chief.
“Nobody, including your District Attorney, is above the rule of law, even traffic laws,” her statement said.
Doorley said she pleaded guilty the next day and sent the ticket to Webster Town Court.
Doorely was a member of the Democratic Party before switching to the GOP in 2015. Each of the Rochester City Council members are Democrats.
Joining the City Council members in requesting an investigation into Doorley’s actions are five members — all Democrats — of the Monroe County Legislature.
In a statement released Saturday, Deputy Majority Leader William Burgess and legislators Lystra Bartholomew McCoy, Rose Bonnick, Santos Cruz and Ricky Frazier called on James and Gov. Kathy Hochul to investigate what they called “recent troubling behavior” by Doorley.
“This type of behavior is disturbing and requires the fullest scrutiny and disciplinary action,” the statement said in part. “Incidents like this shed light on the inequities of our criminal justice system. This behavior is an unfortunate display of privilege and should not be swept under the rug.”
They also called upon the County Office of Public Integrity and Ethics Board to look into the incident.
On Sunday, members of the Democratic Caucus of the Monroe County Legislature issued a statement saying they are “extremely troubled by the video of the interaction of District Attorney Sandra Doorley with officers of the Webster Police Department. Her actions were unacceptable.”
The Caucus is comprised of legislators Burgess, Bartholomew McCoy, Bonnick, Cruz and Frazier along with President Yversha M. Román, Majority Leader Michael Yudelson, Vice President Mercedes Vazquez Simmons, Assistant Majority Leaders Albert Blankley and Carolyn Delvecchio Hoffman and legislators Rachel Barnhart, Linda Hasman, Susan Hughes‐Smith and Dave Long.
The Democratic Caucus says it supports “any further appropriate investigation into this encounter by law enforcement officials.”
The Monroe County Office of the District Attorney could not immediately be reached for comment.
All three letters can be found below:
