— from Don Drozd —
As General Counsel for the largest public employee labor union in Orange County, California, I represent working people at scores of municipal offices, including those of the District Attorney and Public Defender. I know from my own experience how fortunate San Juan County residents are to have a Prosecuting Attorney with the integrity and experience of Randy Gaylord, and I strongly support his re-election.
The qualities of an effective prosecutor – like a commitment to justice, a sophisticated understanding of people and their motivations, and an ability to determine and prioritize the needs of the public – are qualities Randy has consistently demonstrated since he was first elected Prosecutor in 1994. He understands the importance of the work performed by public sector workers and is a strong advocate for their economic security. And every day Randy models the conviction and strength of character necessary to successfully further the cause of justice with fairness, compassion, and empathy.
Randy Gaylord has been a great Prosecuting Attorney. Whether expanding crime victim services, protecting our islands, or mentoring young prosecutors, Randy has served us with commitment and distinction. He has earned and deserves your vote for reelection as Prosecuting Attorney in November.
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Randy has another recommendation from one of his own. Over the last several years in my attempts to find truth and honesty in the Prosecuting Attorneys office with “Team Randy” I have found that the Prosecuting attorney holds great power to influence not only the Council but the Courts. When presented with hard facts and documentation from CDC Department Head the Council deferred to “Team Randy” even though the Head of CDC emphatically stated otherwise. The Courts when presented with statements from both sides deferred to the County as ‘We must give great deference to what the County says.’ Even though in this case the ‘County’ was “Team Randy ” rather than our own Department Head. It is time for a change in the prosecuting attorney’s office. It is time for citizens to be able to stand up for what they believe in without fear of retaliation. It is time for citizens to be able to trust that their elected officials follow their Oath of Office and the Charter. Where is the Council in all of this you might ask. Their last letter to me, after an Executive Session with Randy, stated their intent to “decline to talk to me” not just about any ongoing lawsuit but about “other topics”. It is time to replace “Team Randy” with a prosecuting attorney who is not part of the establishment. A person who will do his duties with the integrity his office deserves so the citizens of San Juan County can respect him and his office. We do not need to reelect a member of the established clique just because his peers want to protect their own.
This seems to be the era of The Outsider to bring in fresh talent, a new view, a new transparency, and then everyone will know everything and there will be peace in the land. Much criticism of any county prosecutor arises from the failure to understand the institutional barriers under which prosecutors work, one of which is that clients can criticize their lawyer, but lawyers cannot criticize their clients. Elected on the basis of incomplete (if any) real information, the “new blood” arrives and discovers that no, a prosecutor are not simply “the peoples lawyer” as advertised, but the county’s lawyer in matters that because of the rules of privilege, cannot be transparent, and the state’s lawyer in prosecutions.
Misunderstandings of this nature, enhanced during election campaigns, present great political opportunities, the cost of which is borne by the county and the people when reality inevitably prevails.