To the editor:
Lincoln County received a superior public servant when Gov. Kate Brown appointed Newport attorney Jonathan Cable to serve as our district attorney in January.
Mr. Cable brings to the office nearly two decades of experience as an attorney, most of it as a prosecutor; nine years as a Lincoln County deputy district attorney, serving under three different district attorneys and trying major crimes as well as training young lawyers and police officers; administrative experience representing employees as the president of the Lincoln County Employees Association; and, four years in private practice managing an office, trying civil cases and gaining a different perspective on criminal law through work for impoverished folks accused of crime.
Contested political races often involve partisan views, but Jonathan Cable’s opponent featured a blatant misrepresentation in a Newport News-Times advertisement. With a title “Ethical Leadership for Lincoln County” under her name, she not only implied that Mr. Cable is unethical, but also suggested that she is the district attorney, claiming, “As your DA, I am accountable to you …”. Clearly, she is not the district attorney. Although her later ads removed that phrase, she has yet to apologize to the voters and to Jonathan Cable for this false impression.
Mr. Cable’s opponent has been a lawyer for just over three years, and she is relatively new to Lincoln County. She has never worked in private practice or run her own law firm.
The governor chose Jonathan Cable from a group of four qualified candidates after careful consideration, research and the counsel of a diverse committee. Mr. Cable’s opponent was not one of those applicants. Unlike the four attorneys who were, she did not participate in a selection process which involved extensive written applications, interviews by a select committee as well as the governor, and a comprehensive police background check. She apparently decided to challenge Mr. Cable after he declined to appoint her as his chief deputy. Personal spite is no substitute for professional integrity.
Jonathan Cable brings humility and talent to the delicate task of rebuilding an office marked by dissension and turnover in recent years. His background is proof of his ability to handle a major county office with a large budget and a backlog of unresolved cases. Jonathan Cable exemplifies the highest standards of ethics, transparency and integrity. He is experienced, professional and dedicated. Lincoln County is well served by having him as our district attorney, and we should vote to keep him in office.
— Susan Elizabeth Reese Painter, Newport