PROSECUTOR: Why Barry is the best

Several years ago, a man ran amok in a San Francisco law office shooting several attorneys. It was tragic and yet deep down many a citizen harbored a feeling that they might never and should never admit. That feeling was that this country might do better if a few more attorneys were shot. A member of the California legislature initiated a bill to make it a crime to make jokes about attorneys after the shooting, reasoning that disrespectful jokes and comments were likely to generate dangerous behavior toward attorneys. Of course, the number of jokes and disparaging comments expanded exponentially.

All joking aside, good attorneys are needed for a society that relies on a system of laws that require everyone to be treated equally. Right in the middle of all that is the office of the prosecutor. This officer of the court represents the people, especially the people who have been assaulted in their persons and or property. It is a job that requires fine judgment, persistence, fairness, an ability to balance limited resources and dedication.

Nearly any attorney could be a prosecutor if they had unlimited resources, but they don’t. It is a thankless job and is often characterized by the old saying, “one aw’c**p ruins 10 attaboys.”

Barry McHugh is running for re-election as prosecutor and the “attaboys” for his work and his office give him my vote. His dedication and performance have earned him another term. His job is not one of those that is sort of on automatic. You can never sit back and coast in the job of prosecutor. We are lucky to have the right man in the right job.

ROBERT HUNT

Post Falls