DA candidate debate at Humboldt Senior Resource Center

From 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. approximately 40 people gathered in the Humboldt Senior Resource Center dining room to listen to all four candidates for District Attorney. The debate was co-sponsored by the League of Women Voters and moderated by none other than the well-known and respected Byrd Lochtie.

The debate format was 1  minute for opening and closing; questions with 1 minute responses. All the candidates did well with the time.

Elan Firpo, Allan Dollison, Maggie Fleming and Arnie Klein were all present and there were supporters for all candidates in the audience.

The only light hearted moments in the debate were when the wind blew the name cards off the table for each candidate. While it was an equal opportunity wind; it did pick on the men first. Also the mike sputtered and finally failed. These two technical difficulties brought a smile and exchange from all four candidates where the people overruled the candidates. All four candidates have worked in the office at the same time. Currently, only Elan Firpo works in the DA's office.

The debate will be aired on Access Humboldt so you can watch for yourself. I will share some observations and highlights. Before my decision to support Elan in this race, I met and spent time with all four candidates. I know them all. I offered help and advice for their campaigns.

Arnie had his usual lines that we have heard before; Maggie is very careful and sticks to the scripted, familiar lawyer responses. Elan and Allan have some responses they have said before but they change it up, they speak off the cuff and they do not personally attack.

The personal attacks and digs came mostly from Arnie, a few from Maggie. And the audience reacted; not a plus for these two candidates. That is where I feel Elan and Allan showed strong leadership because they stayed focused on their strengths and the debate. Maggie and Arnie cannot differentiate between who they are as people and how people view them as candidates. You can like someone as a person but as a candidate question them and their choices. They do not handle criticism and feedback well or stress and it shows.

If you cannot handle criticism in a campaign, you cannot handle being an elected official who will never please every one. To win your supporters is easy, to convince your detractors is a leader.

In his opening statement, Arnie scored with differentiating himself from other candidates by saying he is the only senior. He took a negative, his age, and turned it into positive. It is also one of the rare original comments I have heard. In most debates, it is the same "rearrange the deck chairs on the Titanic;
 and "I am Arnie Klein for the People" shtick.

Elan in her opening pointed out that she is currently the only candidate working in the office, she is prosecuting some of the most difficult cases (Bodhi Tree, Gary Lee Bullock to name two high profile cases) and she has proven success in the private industry.

The first question was about how to deal with the mentally ill population. Arnie said "unfortunately, we have a lot of mentally ill" and that while he would handle with compassion, "I am not running for Chief Doctor of Humboldt County." As DA, Arnie said he would have the power to file or reject  cases involving the mentally ill population. When he could divert them out of the criminal justice system, he would. If they committed a violent crime, he would prosecute.

Maggie advocated a locked treatment facility for those who are violent. For others focus on treatment. She said mentally ill often need assistance to take their medications.

Elan said dealing with the mentally ill population was "one of the very large problems. There is a small group that self-medicates and law enforcement picks them frequently." She cited one individual who had been arrested by EPD 359 times. "My office needs to focus on this small group and work with mental health, homeless groups and Probation."

"Mental Health is not a crime," said Elan. She added that this small group draws attention when they enter the criminal justice system and suggested they get the help they need.

Allan brought up the double murder committed by Vincent Sanchez which occurred near his house. And Sanchez's history. "Most of his time was spent in a state mental hospital to see if he was competent for trial."