A group of Harvey Weinstein accusers — including one who testified against him at his rape trial — have endorsed former prosecutor Lucy Lang to replace Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance Jr.
Rosanna Arquette, Caitlin Dulany, Louise Godbold, Katherine Kendall, Jasmine Lobe, Sarah Ann Masse and Jessica Mann — whose testimony helped prosecutors win a third-degree rape conviction against the disgraced producer earlier this year — are backing Lang.
Lang, who served as a Manhattan prosecutor for 12 years, is calling for “consent” to be defined in New York State Penal Law and has vowed to create a more robust Sex Crimes Unit that prioritizes justice for survivors, according to a press release.
“I’m proud to stand with Lucy — someone I’ve known for years, have worked with on these issues, and who I know will be a fierce advocate and ally to survivors as the next Manhattan District Attorney,” said Lobe in a statement. “Lucy listens, she cares, and she’ll fight for a trauma-informed system that empowers survivors and holds predators like Harvey Weinstein accountable.”
Lang said she was honored to receive the endorsement of these women, who she called “courageous” for speaking out.
“Survivors are standing up and sharing their stories — they deserve a District Attorney who hears them,” Lang said.
Although Vance won a significant victory when Weinstein was convicted this year of raping Mann in 2013 and forcibly performing oral sex on Mimi Haleyi in 2006, his office may not be able to overcome scathing criticism over his failure to hold accountable other rich and powerful men.
In a widely panned decision, the DA declined to prosecute Weinstein in 2015 after an Italian model accused him of groping her — and the fallen Hollywood titan admitted it on an NYPD recording.
The DA was accused of bungling the 2011 prosecution of former International Monetary Fund Chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn after a hotel maid accused him of rape. The DA’s office ultimately dismissed the case blaming the accuser for having fatal credibility issues.
The office bizarrely went to bat for convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein in 2011, arguing that he should be designated the lowest risk sex offender in a move that stunned the judge. The office later switched course and argued for the highest-risk designation.
In a case that continues to haunt Vance, prosecutors cut a deal with pervert gynecologist Robert Hadden in 2016 that didn’t require him to spend a single day in jail after he was charged with sexually abusing six patients. As part of the deal, Vance also agreed not to pursue charges related to more than 20 additional victims who had come forward.
In September, Manhattan federal prosecutors stepped in charged him with abusing six victims — including one minor.
Lang is among nearly a dozen candidates who are running for Manhattan DA, which has a primary election in June.
Vance has not said whether he will seek reelection. His campaign has not been raising money or seeking endorsements.
The Manhattan DA declined to comment.