Tuesday, April 22, 2014

I almost missed this one. Thought it was an earlier article, the title was so similar


But no, this one is about a 'debate' that happened yesterday: ◼ DA Candidates Trade Jabs at Latest Debate - Ryan Burns/Lost Coast Outpost ◼ (Image from Arnie Klein on Facebook)

In a rapid-fire debate this afternoon, Humboldt County’s four district attorney candidates took turns addressing complex issues in one-minute sound bites, and they found time to take a few swipes at each other.

The 45-minute debate, which was hosted by Eureka Rotary Club and moderated by the League of Women Voters, touched on some of the usual hot-button topics, including marijuana legalization, homelessness, public safety realignment and campaign donations. And while the differences between candidates were often more about style than substance, there was a distinct feistiness in the air, with candidates looking to poke at each other’s perceived weak spots.

◼ Richard's interesting analysis: Eureka Rotary DA race debate leaves lots of questions. - Richard Marks/Samoa Softball Thursday update - that Samoa Softball comments thread turned into something quite different.
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8 comments:

  1. Interesting how fast you can get a post up to 200+ comments.

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  2. Firpo keeps talking about vertical prosecution for drug and DV cases but the DA office has or had those positions under grants. The vertical prosecutor for drugs currently is wes keat under the Anti Drug grant which is managed by the Sheriff's department. So why are we outsourcing this prosecution work to someone who doesn't even live in our community? I am sure there are attorney's in our county who would and could do the work. This would keep jobs in Humboldt county and the money.

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  3. BTW, vertical prosecution positions are generally funded by grants. That have to be applied for and awarded. They are usually competitive grants so there is no guarantee that just because you are applying for the grant, you will get it. And the application process is normally 6 to 8 months before the DA office would even know if they got the funding. So anyone can say they will go after grants or put in place vertical prosecution, but if there is no funding mechanism in place, it is just hot air.

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  4. Also, many of these kind of vertical prosecution grants do not become competitive every year. Sometimes it may be 3 to 5 years before the grant can be applied for by our county, so it is unrealistic and misleading to tell the community that firpo is going to do this when it may not even be possible.

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  5. All three comments made by someone from the inside or an ex employee. Since Firpo did not assign to Wes Keat, why don't you ask Paul or Wes' friend Maggie.

    Also you are a typical government employee always thinking government must provide funds.

    They are generally funded by grants are your words. Maybe it is time we had a DA who can look for sources other than government.

    You just want to attack Firpo. Does not matter what she says or a comment positive of her.

    You do at least comment on the topic .

    Let the personal attacks from Maggie and Arnie supporters begin.

    We cannot have a positive comment about Firpo without either campaign responding.

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  6. Here's something positive about Elan Firpo: she is doing well for being so new to the law.

    But should we make her chief surgeon when she has never performed open heart surgery?

    She has been a lawyer for only 5 years, but now wants to be top dog? Better to learn her profession first I would think.

    Just a thought.

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    Replies
    1. The job of the District Attorney is not to litigate every case. The office needs someone who can manage, someone who can professionally interact with other agencies, elected officials and business people. The office needs someone who has been an administrator.

      Elan is the only candidate with those skills and without personal baggage.

      You have to be taken seriously outside the narrow confines of the Courthouse to be an effective District Attorney.

      We do not need another lawyer, so years of experience as an attorney is not the only qualifying factor.

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  7. "Elan is the only candidate with those skills and without personal baggage"

    Maggie has volunteered for various boards in the last 20 years in this county. She has worked cooperatively with those boards to get projects finished. She is the only candidate with wide ranging respect of not just her peers, but of department heads, and directors of non-profits etc

    How does Elan expect to recruit and manage top notch attorneys if she is not one herself? Lawyers are not mechanical components. They can smell inexperience and wont respect it. And, why should they?

    With Elan, we will be stuck with the same old thing: Brand new attorneys straight out of law school who do not know what they are doing.

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