Two Longtime Prosecutors, Former Co-Workers Faceoff In DA Race

Two longtime prosecutors are seeking to serve as Bucks County’s district attorney.

Incumbent Republican District Attorney Matt Weintraub is looking to keep the seat, and Democrat Antonetta Stancu, a former prosecutor in Weintraub’s office, is seeking to take over the top job.

Weintraub and Stancu both grew up locally and have served as prosecutors in Bucks County and beyond for many years.

Weintraub was appointed district attorney in 2016 and he won his first election in 2017.

Weintraub, a Central Bucks County resident, was born and raised in Bucks County. He grew up in Upper Southampton Township and worked for 13.5 years in the district attorney’s office over two stints before taking the top job. He first interned in the district attorney’s office in 1992 before being hired full-time in 1993. 

“I love Bucks County. I grew up in Bucks County … and I am so glad that I have the privilege to serve every person here in Bucks County,” said the father and husband. “This is about leadership and my leadership has been tested and proven.”

Weintraub’s time in office has seen him face numerous major cases, including the Grace Packer murder and the Cosmo DiNardo and Sean Kratz murder cases. He has faced few scandals, but was criticized by Stancu after his first in charge resigned after getting caught delivering for DoorDash while working on the taxpayers dime.

Stancu, a Doylestown resident, wife, and mother, worked for 17 years as a prosecutor, serving in the county district attorney’s office and as an assistant U.S. attorney, and prosecutor in the Bronx County Assistant District Attorney’s Office. In addition, she assisted with the high-profile case against then-Attorney General Kathleen Kane and many violent Bucks County cases.

Stancu grew up in Lower Bucks County and in Montgomery County. She is the daughter of immigrants and only spoke Romanian on her first day of kindergarten.

“My story is my parents’ American dream. They worked really hard so I could be the first in my family to go to high school, and then college, and then law school,” she said.

“I am running for district attorney to provide a safer future for our families,” she said.

Both candidates have framed themselves as tough-but-compassionate prosecutors not afraid to take on tough cases and keep Bucks Countians safe. In campaign advertising and mailers, Weintraub and Stancu both have focused on their qualifications to be the district attorney and pledged to support law enforcement. Challenging national Republican narratives about Democrats cutting police funding, Stancu and Democratic candidate for sheriff Mark Lomax have called for funding the police.

At a recent League of Women Voters of Bucks County forum, Stancu said she would make sure the county’s criminal justice system provided for equal justice. She also said that the district attorney’s office was “way behind the ball” on mental health. She said more needed to be done to help defendants with mental health problems and more training on the topic was needed for police officers and prosecutors.

Weintraub said his office is working hard to better deal with mental health issues.

“The great news is everything Mrs. Stancu asked for has been covered. I’m very happy to report that,” he said.

The district attorney pointed to efforts by his office and the judiciary to create a mental health court.

Weintraub said the biggest challenge for the office is potential lawlessness creeping across the borders from Philadelphia and Trenton. He said his office makes sure police are trained, there’s a strong system of accountability, and programs for kids in schools.

The incumbent district attorney said good diversionary programs to get to the root of why someone is committing a crime are important. He said the goal is to not see those defendants in the system again.

Stancu said she believes in community policing and community prosecution that connects residents with law enforcement. She said each case needs the root cause addressed, like mental health and drug addiction.

Weintraub and Stancu, a prosecutor-turned-defense attorney, agreed that connecting law enforcement with the community is key.

Weintraub said he knows the importance of working with victims. He said his office has even introduced a therapy dog to help.

Stancu focused on domestic violence and said the system is failing victims and she would work to improve it.

On sex trafficking, Stancu said she put many in prison for sex trafficking crimes.

“This is another case where we need to make sure our victims get support early and see justice in a time period that is fair for them,” she said.

Weintraiub said sex traffickers are “insidious” people who often prey on those in bad situations.

“I’m proud to say I have put sex traffickers behind bars … these people are despicable,” he said, adding his office had worked to create two centers to help victims of those crimes.

When asked about how to strengthen the relationship between the district attorney’s office and police departments, Weintraub said he has a great relationship with local police departments and their chiefs. He said he answers the calls from police and works collaboratively with them. Additionally, he lauded the work of officers across the county.

Stancu said she is proud of Bucks County’s police officers, and she knows they support accountability in cases where it is needed.

“We have wonderful police officers who work with our neighbors,” she said.

On body cameras among police and policies surrounding them, Stancu said each police department makes their own policies, but she pledged to make sure each can get help with obtaining body and in-car camera systems.

Weintraub agreed and said he couldn’t understand why any department wouldn’t want cameras for police.

Weintraub and Stancu both said they are against eliminating cash bail.

With the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a backlog of cases making their way through the court system in the county.

Stancu said one of her focuses would be opening resources for low-level marijuana arrests. Those defendants are often put through diversionary programs that cost the defendants and government money, including the time of patrol officers.

Weintraub spoke in support of the diversionary programs and said they work with people at their earliest interventions with law enforcement.

The district attorney said the current judge’s court calendar system is very inefficient, but he’s often at the mercy of the courts to make cases move quicker.

“I would love to see that system change,” he said.

Stancu said she would push for a more diverse staff at the district attorney’s office. She said the office needs to exude warmth and attract passionate people.

“There needs to be more diverse recruitment for sure,” she said.

Weintraub said he could do better and has engaged the county diversity and inclusion office to help recruit a more diverse workforce.

“It is important for somebody that comes into contact with the criminal justice system to see someone who looks like them and can relate to them,” he said. “It’s not enough to say we’re trying.”

When asked about a district attorney’s role in criminal justice reform, Stancu said the role is to meet the community’s needs and “have your finger on the pulse.”

Weintraub said criminal justice reform is something that needs to be done. He said he has worked to make sure those who can’t pay for diversionary programs can get in. Additionally, he focused on the county’s co-responder program that sends social workers out on some police calls and the countywide use-of-force policy.

In making their closing case to Bucks Countians, the two candidates each said they were the best choice.

Stancu said she is ready to deal with the drug crisis and keep kids safe.

Weintraub said he’s “real” and pledged to keep residents safe.

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