Union noted, "Mr. Soares has rightly concluded that it would serve no purpose to seek a perjury indictment of Mr. Spitzer because the former governor did not speak with the district attorney's office under oath." Soares claims to be "unfazed by critics." In 2011, Soares was criticized by members of both major parties for declining to prosecute participants in the Occupy Albany demonstrations who were arrested for violating a curfew in Albany's Academy Park. During an interview with Keith Olbermann, Soares called Occupy Albany a "wonderful protest," and stated that "we would decline to prosecute any of the cases, any of the arrests, based upon the fact that unless there were injuries to police officers or damages to property, then the people should be allowed to exercise their First Amendment right." Albany County Republican Party Chairman Don Clarey described Soares' decision not to prosecute as being "politically motivated," while attorney Lee Kindlon, who lost a challenge to Soares in a Democratic primary in 2012, accused Soares of violating his oath of office. Soares beat Kindlon handily in a primary that year, illustrating that Kindlon's argument did not negatively influence voters in the least. In addition, the Working Families Party circulated a petition supporting Soares' decision not to prosecute the Occupy protesters. Soares received criticism from one Albany County official for arguing back vacation pay to an assistant district attorney whom he had dismissed. Michael Conners, County Comptroller, noted his supposed hypocrisy, since Soares had received his past due pay when Clyne had fired him. Soares distinguished the two cases, because he fired the ADA for cause, while he had been fired for running against his boss. Awards and Public Recognition Soares has received several public service awards during his tenure as District Attorney, including being named a 2015 "America's Top 10 Animal Defender" by the Animal Legal Defense Fund, and the Whitney M. Young Community Partner of the Year Award in 2014 for hosting HIV/AIDS testing at the office's Community Justice and Outreach Center in Albany. As of 2016, Soares serves as the 1st Vice President of the District Attorneys Association of the State of New York (DAASNY) and is a Board of Directors at the New York State Prosecutors Training Institute. Soares served as President of DAASNY from July 2018 through July 2019. Prosecutions Murder of Peter Porco and other notable cases Soares' office's first big case was the