The third floor of Hibernian Hall in Roxbury was packed to the brim Thursday evening with Suffolk County constituents looking to catch a glimpse of their next district attorney.
It was the crowd that acted as the real moderator in the discussion-turned-debate, as the loud cheers and constant heckling had to be tamped down several times by organizers.
That didn’t stop the candidates from throwing shots at one another from the start. The three democratic candidates onstage — Attorney Linda Champion, current DA Kevin Hayden and former U.S. Attorney Rachael Rollins — all had a bone to pick with their opponents.
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“I’m running against two individuals I feel have had an opportunity to show us what they can do with that seat, and each time they have failed us in that endeavor,” said Champion of her opponents, highlighting the fact that both Rollins and Hayden have held the seat before.
Rollins was elected Suffolk County DA in 2018 and left when she was promoted to the U.S. Attorney by the Biden Administration in 2022 towards the end of her first term. Hayden was appointed to replace Rollins, and later ran and won the seat.
But the ties between the two run deeper. Rollins resigned in 2023 after twin ethics investigations found she tried to influence the outcome of the race for Boston’s district attorney, trying to sway the race in favor of Hayden’s opponent.
Hayden hasn’t been without his own ethics issues. He was fined $5,000 by the state ethics commission after his office released information about his opponent in the 2022 primary, which commissioners found violated conflict of interest law because it could give Hayden an advantage in the primary.
Champion is also no newbie, having run against Rollins originally in 2018.
“When I ran against Linda in 2018, we both ran in 2018. I had never been a DA before. I’ve been a DA, I’ve been a U.S. Attorney, and I’ve experienced hardship,” said Rollins. “I’m more qualified now than I ever was.”
It seemed that the crowd had forgiven Rollins for her past. They loudly cheered for Rollins, while heckling Hayden, and often commenting amongst themselves when Champion spoke.
No moment was louder than when Rollins spoke about her history overturning wrongful convictions, as men stood up in the crowd to thank her for taking a second look at their cases, eventually letting them go free. She pointed out Stephen Pina and Ricky “Fuquan” McGee in the crowd — both formerly incarcerated men she helped free.
“Every one of these men are home because of my policies,” proclaimed Rollins, as others stood as well.
When the crowd eventually settled after another direct shot between candidates, and it was Champion who went to the mic and tried to bring the conversation back to center.
“The fact of the matter is this. I think you guys all find this very entertaining. But the reality is the position of district attorney is a serious role. We work to protect you, we work to protect victims,” Champion said.
A big reason Champion got into the race this time around is because of a decision that Hayden made recently. For the first time, he indicted a Boston Police officer for manslaughter after he shot and killed an alleged car jacking suspect in pursuit.
After that, the Boston Police Patrolman’s Union called for another candidate to enter the race. When Champion submitted her papers, they endorsed her.
Hayden said he stands by his decision, and argued that it shows why he should be reelected over both Champion and Rollins.
“We can’t go backwards to where we came from, and we can’t go forwards with uncertain leadership that’s in the hip pocket of the BPDA (Boston Patrol Officer’s Union). You need an independent leader that knows how to do the job,” Hayden said.
The debate was so lively that it took several breaks to settle the crowd, and organizers never got to the “lightning round” the moderators had planned.
Instead Hayden relied on the good he’s done and his plans to have more left to do.
“I don’t know how or why, but I was built for this. And I ask for your vote,” he said in his closing statement.
Rollins says that she blames herself, in a sense, for what happened in the office since she left for a new position.
“You only know Kevin because I left to become U.S. Attorney. None of you would know who this man is if I didn’t ascend to the places that I did,” Rollins said.
Champion made a point to remind the crowd that while she hasn’t held the office, she also hasn’t been investigated for transgressions while holding public office.
“I’m running for this seat because I feel like you need someone with integrity, the temperament, and the ability to lead,” said Champion.
All three appear on the Democratic ticket for the primary on Sept. 1. There is no Republican in the race, meaning whoever wins the primary will likely win the seat.
