The Snohomish County Council on Wednesday will choose between two Democratic candidates to succeed Janice Ellis as county prosecutor. One is current Snohomish County Deputy Prosecutor Mark Roe, who has 22 years experience here in Snohomish County handling cases ranging from capital murder to sexual assault. He has a long history of supporting the state constitutional rights of victims with tremendous passion and has been endorsed by our governor and several state representatives as well as the greater county law enforcement organizations. Mr. Roe also has administrative experience within the prosecutors’ office. His weakness: He has spent more time performing his appointed duties and serving the community than schmoozing with the local party elite.
The other candidate is Seattle Deputy Attorney Jim Kenny, who handles misdemeanor cases and has no Snohomish County prosecutorial experience. He does have administrative experience as a fire district commissioner. However, Mr. Kenny has publicly stated that crime victim advocacy would be beneath him if appointed and should be handled by underlings, his role would be strictly administrative. His strength: He has campaigned for many local Democrats and attends all the right events that put him in good favor with local party leaders.
We need and deserve an effective, experienced prosecutor who understands the intricacies of heading such a complex and challenging office, not a political figurehead. Mark Roe deserves to be appointed.
Bill Burkheimer
Marysville
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