Sometimes, voters must make a choice between weak candidates. That can be a painful process.
But Lawrence County voters won’t have that problem in Tuesday’s contest for Lawrence County district attorney. The two candidates running are well qualified and possess true potential.
Democrat Joshua Lamancusa and Republican George Freed are seeking what amounts to the top spot in the county on next week’s ballot. Although there are other county offices listed, the incumbents have no opposition.
Because Lamancusa defeated current district attorney John Bongivengo in the spring primary, this is basically an open seat.
Both candidates tout credible backgrounds and experience in terms of being able to serve as district attorney. Lamancusa, now in private practice, served for five years as a prosecutor and department supervisor in the U.S. Navy.
Freed’s background includes time as a New Castle police officer as well as an assistant district attorney with the county. He also has served as a college-level instructor for police trainees.
In assessing the job of district attorney, Lamancusa and Freed stress the priority of managing the office properly to ensure cases are handled in a timely manner. Dismissals of some cases — particularly those dealing with court rules regarding timely trials — have been a key issue in this campaign.
We also think the district attorney’s office needs to have a solid relationship with other court offices, area police departments and the public. We believe both Lamancusa and Freed can fill that role. In interviews with these two men, the editorial board of the New Castle News was impressed with their grasp of the job and their desire to put their mark on it.
In short, this race may be a no-lose situation for voters, regardless of who wins.
But in our endorsement for the contest, one factor made a difference. It dealt with issues of practicality and dealing with the job at hand.
While both candidates offered aggressive approaches, we found Lamancusa’s proposals overly so. We were particularly concerned with the revelation that he intends to examine all criminal cases in Lawrence County that have been dismissed or otherwise not pursued in the past year. He estimates the number at between 200 and 300.
By contrast, when Freed was asked about going back and reviewing old cases, he suggested it made sense only if new evidence has surfaced.
Considering the backlog both candidates cite in the district attorney’s office, we don’t think attention needs to be diverted from the cases that arrive on a daily basis. While specific circumstances may warrant a review of an old case, a blanket re-examination — in the expectation that maybe, just maybe, a problem will be found — is a dubious use of time.
In addressing this concern, Lamancusa said he alone, rather than others in his office, would handle this work. But the way we see it, even an energetic district attorney has only so many hours in a day.
Therefore, we are endorsing George Freed for Lawrence County district attorney. We believe he possesses the background, experience and practical approach best suited for this important position.
Editorials
EDITORIAL: Close contest
- Editorials
-
-
Postal service’s financial woes not of their own making
It’s no secret that the U.S. Postal Service is experiencing financial troubles. One of the consequences of a deficit in the billions of dollars soon will become apparent in New Castle, when the city’s mail processing facility on Cascade Street is shut down.
-
Our Opinion: UPMC, Highmark tangle for dominance. But what about the public?
Health insurance recipients in western Pennsylvania received some good news recently. The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and Highmark Inc., the two local behemoths of the insurance and health care industry, reached an agreement to extend their contract with each other. The 18-month extension will be good through 2014.
-
Our Opinion: Annual Jack Butz Award honors community involvement
During his lifetime, Jack Butz was known as someone who donated much to the community. And even now, years after his passing, Butz continues to give. We refer to the annual Jack Butz Award, where a local citizen is recognized for his or her contributions to New Castle and the surrounding area.
-
Our Opinion: Why would New Castle weaken architecture standards?
There are times when communities must decide what they want to be. For New Castle, one of those times is arriving later this month. New Castle City Council is considering changes to the municipal zoning ordinance that will have the effect of seriously weakening standards for the North Hill Historic District.
-
Our Opinion: A box from 1914 says something about the past — and today
The former Elks building in downtown New Castle was demolished months ago, but one bit of business remained. And city officials addressed that last week, when a time capsule from 1914 was opened.
-
Our Opinion: Awareness campaigns protect generations of children
The first step in solving a problem is recognizing that it exists. That was a major factor behind the recent Walk for Justice at Cascade Park, organized by the Crisis Shelter of Lawrence County.
-
Our Opinion: Secret Service scandal symbolizes breaches of public trust
There are a couple of pieces of good news regarding the Secret Service sex scandal. The first is that an investigation has determined the women hired as prostitutes by Secret Service agents in Columbia apparently were just that.
-
Our Opinion: Municipalities save money with shared services
In difficult financial times, finding ways to use tax dollars more efficiently is an essential government task. That’s why we were pleased to learn that Shenango Township and South New Castle Borough have agreed to share police services.
-
Our Opinion: State politicians use campaign funds in criminal cases
If you want to wage a spirited defense against criminal charges, you need money. A good attorney, after all, isn’t cheap. But if you are an influential elected official in Pennsylvania facing trial, this problem comes with a ready solution. All you have to do is tap into your campaign funds.
-
Our Opinion: Resignation in Neshannock highlights leadership issue
With Neshannock Township now seeking a new manager, we hope the supervisors have learned something from their experiences so far. That’s because their efforts to date on selecting a manager for the municipality haven’t gone very well. Ironically, the questionable practices and decision-making displayed by the supervisors demonstrate the need for sound management in the township.
- More Editorials Headlines
-
Postal service’s financial woes not of their own making
