I’ve been an attorney for 28 years and for the past 16 years I’ve had the privilege of being an Assistant DA for Jefferson County. I write this letter to the editor (the first in my life) because of a strong conviction that Attorney Susan Happ is the superior candidate for DA. I am concerned that the choreographed campaign to elect her opponent will mislead some into thinking that her opponent’s paper credentials are sufficient to handle this very demanding job. They are not.

I believe the county’s interest in obtaining justice through the DA’s office was compromised in early 2006 when the current DA offered his friend, Peter Tempelis, a recently vacated Assistant DA position six months before Mr. Tempelis completed law school or was licensed to practice law. If Mr. Tempelis appeared in court he had to be supervised by the DA or an Assistant DA. This happened at a time when the DA’s office was significantly understaffed by attorneys and when the office had lost three very experienced prosecutors (about 45 years total) within a brief period of time. Then, during June (2008) only two years later, the current DA announced that he had been hired by the Department of Justice in Madison, that he would not be seeking re-election, and that he was endorsing Peter Tempelis as his successor.

I strongly encourage voters to ask those who work in the courtrooms for their assessment of the two candidates. I also encourage voters to consider the outpouring of support by police officers for Attorney Happ. The fact that police officers, who work on a daily basis with attorneys in the DA’s office (including Attorney Tempelis) endorse Attorney Happ shows the urgent concern they have for the effective handling of criminal cases in Jefferson County. They know both candidates, they’ve seen both candidates in court, and they trust Attorney Happ as the candidate who will do the job of protecting the rights of victims and citizens in Jefferson County.

During my years at the DA’s Office I have had the opportunity to observe Attorney Happ grow from a new lawyer to a seasoned professional. She has garnered the respect of court house personnel and other attorneys with her intelligent, organized presentation of cases. The county’s DA needs more than a degree or college learning to do the job. The position requires a mature understanding of the legal system, not just knowing where the courtroom door is. The citizens of Jefferson County deserve a DA who has the knowledge, ethics, zeal, common sense, and (most importantly) experience to make justice work for the citizens of Jefferson County. Attorney Susan Happ is that person.

Tris Baker