County clerk supports McClain

Published 1:30 am Saturday, July 14, 2018

I have never endorsed a candidate for a county office in 20 years as your elected county clerk. In this case I feel I should share my personal knowledge with the voters so they do not go uninformed to the ballot box.

I am in a unique position to see the work of hundreds of attorneys, and these candidates, in particular, and can tell you without hesitation, Mark McClain is the person for the job.

Mark is tough, fair and professional. He is someone who places our community’s safety first and foremost, gives a voice to those victimized by felons and holds offenders appropriately accountable.

Experience, experience, experience is the constant needed in an effective prosecutor. Others suggest another approach and claim Drug Court is the answer. As a founding member of our County’s Drug Court and as someone who has worked on the front lines with addiction, the approach to treat addicts with medically assisted treatment, using drugs like methadone, as suggested by Mark’s opponents, is inappropriate for criminal offenders.

Abstinence is abstinence. Criminals need to be accountable for their crimes, especially while committing to a clean and sober lifestyle. Policies pushed by Pam Nogueira and Eric Weston fail to hold addicts accountable and have caused me to step away from the Drug Court Program. Our county needs a prosecutor who can effectively prosecute murder, rape, drug dealers and other offenders so we have a satisfactory resolution.

I do not believe that Mark’s opponents have the experience to accomplish this.

I have seen Mark McClain manage an office through difficult budget times while remaining ever-focused on our community safety. As Pacific County Clerk and Ex-Officio Clerk of the Superior Court I am supporting Mark McClain for prosecutor.

Virginia Leach

Pacific County Clerk