The Soros network is once again channeling significant funding into the election of progressive prosecutors, injecting more than $1 million into political action committees (PACs) this cycle. This renewed investment follows a period where numerous Soros-backed district attorneys faced electoral defeats or recall efforts between 2022 and 2024.
Democracy PAC, now managed by Alex Soros, George Soros's son, allocated approximately $1.7 million to the Justice & Public Safety PAC between March 2025 and April 2026. This move signals a strategic rebuilding of the family's influence on local criminal justice policy ahead of the 2026 elections, despite previous voter backlash.
By directing substantial resources to the Justice & Public Safety PAC, the Soros network aims to influence races where decisions on bail, charging, and sentencing practices can significantly impact public safety. This PAC has historically supported prosecutors such as former Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price, former Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon, Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, former St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner, and former Cook County State Attorney Kim Foxx.
Critics of these prosecutors argue that their policies lead to increased crime by failing to incarcerate dangerous individuals. They contend that a focus on addressing root causes like poverty and inequality, rather than strict punishment, is misguided. Supporters, however, maintain that understanding crime as a symptom of systemic issues such as racism and disinvestment is crucial, and that harsh punishments can encourage recidivism.
Several high-profile Soros-backed prosecutors have faced intense criticism and electoral consequences. George Gascon, for example, faced internal dissent and a recall effort after his office stopped pursuing many sentencing enhancements and reduced the number of misdemeanors prosecuted. Larry Krasner presided over a significant increase in homicides in Philadelphia while reducing prosecutions.
According to the Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund, out of 75 Soros-linked prosecutors identified since 2022, 50 have either left office or been replaced by more moderate figures. In the 2024 elections, 12 of the 25 district attorneys with ties to Soros on the ballot were defeated or recalled.
Despite these challenges, the Justice & Public Safety PAC has continued to support candidates. In Virginia's 2025 election, the committee spent six figures to back Norfolk Commonwealth Attorney Ramin Fatehi, who has faced conservative criticism for his stance on cash bail and prosecution of certain offenses like shoplifting.
Fatehi has argued that crime is a symptom of broader societal problems, including structural racism and disinvestment. George Soros has echoed similar sentiments, stating in a 2022 essay that progressive prosecutors can improve public safety by addressing root causes rather than relying on lengthy incarceration, citing racial disparities in the justice system.
The Soros family has additional financial avenues for its political objectives, including the Open Society Policy, an advocacy group that reported nearly $160 million in revenue in 2024. The Open Society Foundation, the family's philanthropic arm, did not respond to a request for comment.