‘Karen’ District Attorney Slammed for Traffic Stop Tantrum

You know what I've been dealing with all. day? Three murders in the city. And do. you think I really care if I was going. 20 miles over the speed limit? >> Hey, I'm just doing my job. >> A New York district attorney signaled. that she would resign after she. apparently bered a police officer during. a traffic stop. Refused to do anything, he said. This was apparently all caught. on body cam video in a bizarre traffic. stop. We have thoughts. And guess what? Our guest, former Palm Beach County. State Attorney Dave Arinberg, also has. thoughts. Welcome to Sidebar, presented.

by Law and Crime. I'm Jesse Weber. Sandra Dorley. Do you know that name? She's the elected district attorney for. Monroe County, New York. I should say at. least for now. Why? Because she. apparently told the Commission on. Prosecutorial Conduct that she would. resign from her position as they were. investigating her actions during a. traffic stop back in April of 2024. Now, in May, a formal complaint was filed. laying out allegations against Dory. And. in June, she entered into an agreed.

statement of facts, saying that she. understood that the commission was going. to recommend that she be censured. According to the commission's June 26. report, quote, specifically the. complaint alleged that respondent failed. to comply with a lawful traffic stop and. used the power of her office as district. attorney for her own benefit and was. belligerent and hostile towards the. patrol officer when she a refused to. comply with a lawful order to stop her. vehicle pursuant to a traffic stop. Bal.

called the chief of the Webster police. to seek special treatment. C failed to. follow the police officer's directives. D made repeated references to her. position as the district attorney of. Monroe County. E was hostile to the. police officer who was effectuating the. lawful stop and repeatedly used. profanity towards him. And F made a. public statement that contained material. omissions about her conduct and. interactions with law enforcement. So, I. want to bring on somebody to talk about. this. Somebody who would never be caught.

doing anything allegedly like this. former Palm Beach County State Attorney. Dave Aaronburgg who's with me here in. studio. Dave, good to see you. Thanks so. much for taking the time, >> Jesse. Great to be back with you. >> And as always, please let everybody know. where they can see more of your content, uh, because you do provide excellent. expert legal analysis out there. >> Thank you so much. Yes, I do videos for. Legal AF on YouTube, but also I'm the. managing partner of Dave Aronberg Law. Do it. It's a uh boutique litigation. firm and I just published a book, Fighting the Florida Shuffle, which is.

about the the fraud and abuse in the. drug treatment industry and how federal. laws unintentionally fuel this. corruption. >> I think you brought a copy last time you. were here, right? I think you did, right? >> I have a copy back in the room for you. And. >> that feels like you don't have a copy. for me, but that's okay. That I just. caught him. I just caught him. He's. like, I have a copy somewhere for you. It's It's in the mix of books. All good. All good. >> Yeah, it's in my other bag. >> It's in your other bag. uh got left on. the plane. Okay. Um let's talk about. this. When you hear a story like this,

does it get you angry? Because it's. interesting when I speak to police. officers or former police officers about. cases where you have officers acting. badly or who charged, they say nobody. nobody's more angry at a corrupt police. officer or bad police officer than. another member of police because it it's. a stain. When you look at something like. this, these allegations and we're going. to play the video. Does it get you. angry? >> Sure it does. It really hits home. because when you serve as a prosecutor,

you stand on the shoulders of all the. people who came before you. And one when. one person acts badly, it tarnishes the. whole profession. And before we came on, your team was surprised that I had. already known about this incident before. you sent it to me. Like, how'd you know? Like, because it happened to a fellow. state attorney, a fellow DA. And of. course, I'm going to know because it's. an embarrassment. And you know how I. know is because other people sent it to. me. See, they identify me with her. because we're both elected DAs. Uh but.

what she did was absolutely. unacceptable. She deserves everything. she's getting and a resignation may be. too easy. >> What's censure? >> Censure is just what happens in the. world of politics where they say, "Shame. on you. We are publicly naming and. shaming you." But it really has no. practical impact. >> She could stay in office. In other. words, you could be centured and stay in. office. >> Right now, if if you want a real. sanction, it would be a suspension, a. docking her in pay. It would be.

termination where she's like revoke uh. forced to resign. She apparently is. going to resign. At least she said it. There's no clear expiration date here. Yeah. >> And it seems like all the balls are in. her court. >> Hey, I want to thank One Skin for. sponsoring today's episode of Sidebar. because let's be honest, being on camera. as much as I am, I think it proves the. point. Having the right skinincare. products matter. Our skin gets older, it. gets dry, there's deeper wrinkles. That's a problem. But there is a game. changer out there. It's called One Skin. So, One Skin was founded by an allwoman. team of scientists who developed a. proprietary OS1 peptide. This peptide.

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home from work. >> 55 and a 35. >> I don't really care. >> Okay, >> so you can call this. >> Can you come? Can you please come over. here? You're on a This is on a traffic. stop, ma'am. Yes, it is. You can call Dennis Cole. Meyer right now. >> Okay. I'm telling you why I stopped you. You didn't stop at all. Did you not hear. my lights or sirens or anything? >> No, I didn't actually. I was on the. phone. >> Okay. Well, you're not supposed to be on. the phone while you're driving either. >> Yes, I am. With the handsfree. Absolutely. >> Okay. Why are you so upset at me? I'm. doing my job. You You just admitted to.

me that you were going 55 and a 35 on. Philips Road. >> To leave me alone. >> It's. >> Officer Chris Foley. >> Chrisy, >> can you stay over here, ma'am? You're. This is a traffic This is This is a. legal traffic stop. Do you have your ID? >> No, it's in my purse here. >> You have your purse right there? >> No, this is my lunch. Would you talk to. your talk to Dennis? This is ridiculous. Just go away. >> Hello, sir. >> Good. Ma'am, can you please stay at the. back? This is a Ma'am, this is legal. traffic stop. Can you please stay over.

here? >> No. Hey, baby. Get your little guy out. of here. Sir, I stopped her for going 55. and a 35 on Phillips Road. >> and she failed to stop. She drove all. the way back home. >> and parked in her garage. >> and now she's not she's not complying. with any of my commands. Ma'am, do not. go inside. >> Oh my god. >> Yep. Yep. All right. Ma'am, come. outside. You can't just go inside. This.

is a traffic stop. Here's your phone. back. >> I understand the law better than you. Would you. >> 953? Can you have a supervisor come to. the scene? >> No. Get out of my house. >> I don't know why. I don't know why. you're acting like this towards me. >> Because. >> can you please go to the back of the. vehicle? >> I'm not going to. I'm home. I was going. I was Okay. 50. >> I don't care if you got home. You were. supposed to stop at Phillips Road when I. pulled you over when my lights were. initiated. >> I didn't know you were stopping me. There was lots of other people on the. road. >> I was right behind you.

>> Yeah, there were other people on the. road, too. >> Okay. I was directly behind you. >> Dealing with you right now. >> Can you please step over here? >> I'm not going to. >> What is the reason you're you're so. against what I'm doing? I'm doing my. job. You say you're a DA? >> I am the DA. >> Okay. >> Okay. Let me get you my badge. I am the. DA in of Monro County. >> I just don't understand the hostility. towards me. I'm doing my job. No, you're. being.

>> How am I being an. >> I am the DA of Monroe County. >> I understand that. But that doesn't give. you a right to go 55 and a 35. >> And you even admitted to me that you. went 50. I understand that, ma'am. I. understand that. >> I don't You know what? If you give me a. traffic ticket, that's fine. I'm the one. who prosecutes it. Okay, just go ahead. and do it. Go ahead. >> Dave, you're watching that. You were. actually cringing. What part of it. disturbs you the most?

>> All of it. It was so uncomfortable. because I was the elected DA and when. law enforcement stops you, you comply. You show respect. Especially because I. know when you run for office, you say. that I am pro law and order. I'm pro. public safety. I respect our first. responders, the men and women in blue. That's not respect. That was awful from. beginning to end. Cursing at him. He's. doing his job. Running away into the. house when he tells you not to. then. handing the phone to the officer saying, "This is your boss." Essentially, he's.

going to call you off. Credit to the. sheriff or police chief, whoever that. was, the I guess it's the chief of the. town who apparently did not tell his. officer, his employee to let her go. And. if he had, it would have been a bigger. scandal. >> Yeah. And and the fact she's like, "I. I'm the one to prosecute." Said, "I'm. the one to prosecute.". >> By the way, that's not necessarily true. >> No. No, not at all. >> Unless it's a crime, the DA's always is. not the prosecutor. This is not a crime. This is an infraction. She knows that. >> Now, according to the officer's report, when he pulled up behind Dory Suburban,

not only did she not pull over, she. didn't react at all. She didn't just. speed up or slow down. She just. apparently kept cruising along at 55 m. an hour. Just come outside over here. >> No, I'm not going outside. >> Okay. >> I'm waiting for you just to leave. >> Well, I'm having a supervisor come. because that's what my chief told me to. do. Can you tell me what? >> No,

this is. >> Do you have your driver's license? >> I just showed you my driver. >> You show me your You showed me your. badge. >> Really? >> EMS. A 14year-old having a seizure. 200. East River Road, apartment 200 on the. third. >> because I was going 55 up. >> And I was just She's a DA. >> Yep, I know. >> And I was just trying to pull into my. driveway. I was on the phone with Dennis. Colemire saying, "Would you please tell. the person who's following me that I'm.

almost home?". >> Ma'am, I understand you were going home, but I started my lights back at Phillips. Road. >> Hey, on Phillips Road. Yes, you did. And. there are other cars. >> I was right behind you. directly behind. you. [Music]. >> at at the end. Go ahead. Like you want. at the end of the day. Go ahead. If you. want to write me a traffic ticket, that's. >> okay. At the end of the day, >> at the end of the day, I was stopping. you for speed. If you just stop bad day, I've been dealing with. >> And I get it. And I get it. We have bad. days also, ma'am. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

>> We have bad days also. My license back. >> I'm going to just add it to the job real. quick. You can just go and actually add it. You. don't have to use the error. At. >> the end of the day, I was just making a. traffic stop. Doing my job. What I was. supposed to do. >> Well, fine. Thank you. >> Okay. So, now supervisor's on his way and then. we'll go from there. >> Supervisor's coming up here. >> Huh? >> Who? >> Sergeant Johnson.

>> I understand you had like I get it. I We. all have bad days at work. >> and I'm going to go in the house. Seriously, this is ridiculous. >> No, this is a traffic stop and you out. of everyone should know that if there's. a legal traffic stop, which I have, >> I have the right to detain you until. this is done. >> Then just write me the ticket. I really. don't care. >> Now, Dory would end up making three. calls to police chief Dennis Colemire. about this stop. >> We're having supervisors come and then.

we'll go from there. >> Oh, come on. Just. >> This is what my chief wants. That's at. the end of the day. You called him. I. spoke to him on your phone and this is. what he wants. >> I'm going to call him again. Seriously, >> Dave, really what's interesting is if. there wasn't body cam and it was his. word against her word would be a very. different case. Watching this very. uncomfortable. You use the word. entitlement, right? Entitled, right? >> First, he's driving a state car like a. law enforcement vehicle. You got the. Tahoe with the dark windows. She's. driving around speeding. She thinks.

she's above the law. And unfortunately, when you are the chief law enforcement. officer of the county, and that's what. the state attorney or district attorney. is, you sometimes can get lulled into a. sense that you are above the law. And. you should never think like that. You. should be humble because you have the. ultimate power of depriving someone of. their freedom. You are not the police's. boss. You're not their boss. It's a. separate agency. And just because you. work with them doesn't mean that you get. to order them around or curse them. The. whole thing is terrible. And just that. sense of entitlement. Here's one other. thing. I happen to I I'm sure she did.

not think that the body cameras were. rolling because the way she acted, she. probably just didn't even think that. there was even a body camera there cuz. had she known I'm sure she wouldn't have. acted like that. >> Her defenses, you know, the I had a. rough day. Oh, I didn't know that the. lights were on for me. That doesn't. quite add up. He was falling directly. behind her. He knows what a She knows. what a traffic stop is. She's saying, well, you could have been pulling over. anyone else. No, he's he's just directly. behind you, tailgating you essentially.

into your driveway. Uh the one thing I. will say about her, the positive though, is that she has a cute dog. That is. true. It is the dog's very confused as. well as to what's happening. So, uh I. want to go back to this. According to. the complaint, which relies on a police. transcript, quote, "Respondent admitted. that she had been speeding, did not want. to stop on Philips Road, and chose to. drive to her house. Respondent was upset. that Po Chrysafouli did not recognize. her vehicle. When Chief Colemire. explained that the officer would not. know who she was based on her vehicle. and that she should have pulled over,

respondents stated he should have run. the plate. It's a big black SUV and now. I've got like five cops here. Now, a. sergeant and a lieutenant arrived at the. scene to try to get things straightened. out. According to the police transcript, when they told her that pulling over. wasn't her choice, she said she made it. her choice. And the senior officers. scolded DA Dorley for her behavior. >> Now, now you made it a bigger deal. >> It's a really bigger deal. Start crying. It's a much bigger deal.

>> Well, you you caused that. >> What do you want us to do? Not do our. job because it's you. >> No, it's fine. I said write me a ticket. But I was just saying I was not stuck at. both road at 5. Okay. Well, you broke. another rule because of that, >> right? You should know better. That's not this an arrestable, >> you know. I got nothing else. >> Why would you have to deal?

>> Should have known better. You picked up. on something about that. >> They said it's an arrestable offense. She could have been arrested for fleeing. and eluding, resisting arrest without. violence. I mean, there's a number of. things she could have been arrested for, taken away in handcuffs. She got off. easy by just getting a traffic ticket. So, she's lucky. But in the end, not so. lucky. >> Well, the responding officer went back. to his car to write up the speeding. ticket, bringing it back up to Dory. But. even as he was trying to leave, the DA.

continued to argue. >> All right, ma'am. So, I'm issuing you. speed and zone 55 and a 35. >> I'll take care of this since I'll be. prosecuting myself. >> Okay. At the end of the day, if you see. my lights and sirens behind you, and. obviously they're going off, just pull. over. We can have a conversation and be. on our way. I kept my eye on your. vehicle. I'm not going to check my. computer to see what plate it is. If a. vehicle is not stopping for me, I want. to keep my eyes on that vehicle for my. safety. So, I can hold it at the end of.

the day. Okay. I I'm sorry that you had. a bad day. >> and I'm sorry it went this way, but. >> I do respect what you do. Have a good. day, ma'am. But I would say here's. something else. Call Dennis on this. >> Call Dennis on this. Call Dennis on. this. What do you think? >> So if she had just pulled over like she. should have, like everyone else is. required to, even the DA, then he could. have run her plates and then he could. have made the determination whether to. give her a ticket. When I was the state. attorney, I was pulled over by a. different agency, the Florida Highway.

Patrol, because he got behind me and ran. my plate and it came back as unknown. And so he thought, "Well, what is. unknown? Is this a stolen car?" car and. he pulled me over in a restaurant. parking lot. All these people looking. and you know what I said to him? I said, "I respect what you do. Uh it's this. it's unknown because it's a government. vehicle and and thank you." And. everything was fine. I didn't try to. pull rank. I didn't try to tell him he's. a jerk or curse at him. He's doing his. job. And just a little humility goes a. long way. He imagine, I mean, this is. why this hurts me so much. If you. watched another show, a TV show host,

they wouldn't be as successful as you. But if you watched another streaming or. TV show host and they were making. demands of their staff, bring me Dijon. mustard, you would be appalled by that, you know, kicking and screaming. That's. how I feel about this. >> Yellow mustard probably I would demand, but I do like Djan as much as the next. person. Okay, so 3 days after the. traffic stop, so now we're talking about. April 25th, 2024, the DA released a. written statement about the stop. Problem with it, seems like it left out. a couple of details. Here's what her. statement said. Quote, "On Monday, April.

22nd, 2024, I was driving home following. a busy day at work. I admit that I was. not paying attention to my speed on. Philips Road in the town of Webster. Less than half a mile from my. neighborhood. I noticed a Webster police. car behind me. Once I realized that the. intention of the car was to pull me. over, I called the Webster police chief. to inform him that I was not a threat. and that I would speak to the officer at. my house down the street. The Webster. police officer followed me to my house. and issued me a speeding ticket for my. speed of 55 mph in a 35 mph zone. I.

acknowledged that I was speeding and I. accepted the ticket. By 1 p.m. the. following day, I plead guilty and sent. the ticket to the Webster Town Court. because I believe in accepting. responsibility for my actions and had no. intention of using my position to. receive a benefit. Nobody, including. your district attorney, is above the. rule of law, even traffic laws. Anybody. who knows me, understands without a. doubt that I have dedicated my entire. 33-year career to the safety of this. community. My work to ensure the safety.

and respect of law enforcement is well. proven time and time again. I stand by. my work and stand by my commitment to. the public safety of Monroe County. Is. that exactly what happened? People lie. Video does not. Maybe if this were the. 1970s, you can get away with that. But. now there are cameras everywhere and. that video is very telling. >> Why put out a statement like that? >> I think. >> you have to. >> you have to put out a statement. This. became a viral thing and I think she. assumed that most people did not watch. the entire video. It's a lengthy video.

and they just heard what they heard. through the news through people talking. about it. But anyone who watches that. video knows that what she said is not. exactly what happened. Not even close. So, the Monroe County Board of Ethics. thought that her statement didn't really. line up with what had happened as well. So, they decided to do an investigation. and it seems that they found Miss Dory. violated section 4513A of the code of. ethics. The statute reads, "Every. officer employee should endeavor to. pursue a course of conduct which will.

not raise suspicion among the public. that she is likely to be engaged in acts. that are in violation of her trust. She. should not use or attempt to use her. official position to secure unwarranted. privileges or exemptions for herself or. others. She should not by her conduct. give reasonable basis for the impression. that any person can improperly influence. her or unduly enjoin her favor in the. performance of her official duties or. that she is affected by the kinship. position or influence of any party or. person. And the commission's report says. that Dory acknowledged her behavior.

warranted censure. She also reportedly. told the commission that she planned to. resign, but didn't really give a. timeline for when that might happen. Now, Dory released a statement after the. report came out. This was reported by. the Democrat and Chronicle, and it said, "I am content that the commission has. concluded its investigation by. recommending the censure. I have sought. since this process commenced. I look. forward to continuing to serve the. people of Monroe County." Now, Dory has. been district attorney since 2012 when.

she was the first woman elected DA in. Monroe County. She's been reelected. three times. She first ran as a. Democrat, switched to the Republican. party in 2015. The fact that that was. what the report was. How significant is. that to you? >> It's significant, but I'm wondering if. there were other sanctions that were. considered. I'm also wondering when she. publicly said that she would resign. Did. she tell the commission that after she. got sanctioned or was it something she. said in advance? Because perhaps a.

reason why they only voted to censure. her and nothing more is because she. said, "I'm going to resign." But of. course, she didn't give a resignation. date and she's still in office today. >> I don't know if you know this, but. typically DAs, how could they be removed. maybe for something like this? >> I'm in Florida. There were two DAs. removed by the governor for a lot less. than this. He just didn't like their. politics. This is like misbehavior. This. is something that you would think every. state has something in the rules that if. you act improperly, break the law. I.

know there's always something back from. the stone ages of drunkenness. Public. drunkenness is always in there. Then you. can be suspended or removed by the. governor. >> And it's interesting they have, you. know, rules that are specific to this. kind of conduct or analogous to this. kind of conduct because this is a very. concern. This is a very fear. Someone. potentially abusing their position. Now, according to the Democrat in Chronicle, Monroe County Republican Party Chairman. Patrick Riley issued the following. statement. The incident in Webster was. serious, unbecoming, and in the end. extremely unfortunate. I am saddened by.

this entire situation, and I hope DA. Dory can enjoy a fresh start in whatever. she chooses to do next. We'll see what. she chooses to do next. What do you make. of that comment, that statement? >> Well, that's as far as he'll go to a. fellow Republican who started out as a. Democrat, then switched parties. But you. can't defend that. And it's hard to. >> also if if she says she's going to. resign, then she's not going to have a. future in politics. So why go on a limb? Why make this the hill to die on for. someone who's not going to be around. politics anymore and just gives everyone. in the party a bad name?

>> Dave Aaronburgg, thanks so much for. coming on. Great seeing you. Appreciate. you taking the time. >> Thank you, Jesse. And that's all we have. for you right now here on Sidebar. Everybody, thank you so much for joining. us. And as always, please subscribe on. YouTube, Apple Podcast, Spotify, wherever you get your podcasts. I'm. Jesse Weber. I'll speak to you next. time. [Music].