In a recent blog posting, I explained why I do not believe the DA is “top lawman” of Butte County. In an appended comment, one of the FB friends responded by stating that “the media uses that description…”, implying that the media must always be correct. Said FB friend then unleashed a barrage of questions right out of the old boys’ political handbook, summarized as follows:
How would I manage the department budget?
How would I prioritize case loads?
Would I refuse to prosecute juveniles as adults?
Prosecute corporate business polluters?
How would I improve family court case proceedings?
Would I “back off from” cannabis prosecution?
The aforesaid FB friend asserted that he was a voter, with a right to have his questions answered. In the interests of future time management, I have decided to attempt to address these questions.
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I can’t answer how I would manage the department budget because I don’t know how much it is, or where it all currently goes. I’ll have to figure it out when I get there.
Ditto for prioritizing case loads.
I would never adopt a blanket policy of refusing to prosecute juveniles as adults. Obviously, such prosecution is an extreme sanction and should be used sparingly.
I absolutely would prosecute corporate polluters. I would do so without resorting to intimidation, trickery, coercion or selective prosecution.
The question about family court case proceedings shows a lack of knowledge of what the DA does. Family court is about divorce, custody and child visitation. The DA plays no direct role.
Marijuana. Currently there are two categories: Prop 215 pot, which is kinda sorta legal, and regular old-fashioned illegal pot. There is a proposition on the November ballot which would legalize some aspects of marijuana. If passed, there would then be 3 categories of pot. I will enforce the law, with the understanding that the courts may struggle to define what that law consists of.
My preferred mode in this campaign is to furnish ample information about myself as a person, and to let the voters decide which person they want to vote for. In his 23-year tenure as DA, Mike Ramsey has supposedly morphed the position into a job that “only Ramsey” can perform. If that’s the actual case, then some things will have to change when I take office.
