ACLU's Rahsaan Hall eyes run for Plymouth Co. district attorney

Updated 1:06 p.m. on Jan. 31

Rahsaan Hall, director of ACLU Massachusetts' racial justice program, is weighing a run for Plymouth County district attorney, according to paperwork filed with the state's campaign finance oversight agency.

Reached by phone Thursday, Hall, 49, stopped short of delcaring a formal campaign. Instead, he said he will resign from his post at the ACLU effective at the end of this month in order to launch an exploratory committee. He told GBH News he was inspired to consider a run after his work on the voter engagement "What a Difference a DA Makes" program.

The program, he said, exposed him to "the lack of awareness of how much power and influence district attorneys have on people's day-to-day lives."

"I felt that it would be worth looking into whether or not someone who holds my views on the criminal legal system and has a commitment to racial justice could have a meaningful impact here in Plymouth County," he said.

If Hall pursues a run, his candidacy could spell out a potential challenge to longtime Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz.

Cruz, a 20-year incumbent, was first appointed to the office in 2001 by then acting Gov. Jane Swift.

He did not respond to GBH News for comment.

Hall lives in Brockton and was formerly an assistant district attorney in the Suffolk County district attorney's office, first under Ralph Martin, then Dan Conley.

His name was rumored to be among those in consideration for the district attorney seat being vacated by Rachael Rollins, who was confirmed as U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts earlier this month.

Hall said he was supportive of the progressive take Rollins' brought to Suffolk County, including the controversial policy shift of declining to prosecute 15 non-violent crimes, apart from exceptional circumstances.

Asked whether he would be prepared to endure the same criticism as Rollins for such a policy shift in Plymouth, Hall was philosophical.

"I don't think anybody is ever really, truly prepared for the level of vitriol and hatred and racism that she has been subjected to for doing something that has ultimately yielded positive benefits," he said. "I would hope that a potential candidacy like mine would not provoke that type of response. But I also recognize, you know, the ideologies behind that type of rhetoric and those types of actions."

Correction: A previous version of this article misspelled the name of Suffolk County DA Dan Conley. That has been corrected.