PORT ANGELES — Lauren Erickson, who lost her primary election bid to face incumbent Deb Kelly for the Clallam County prosecuting attorney’s position, has endorsed Sequim attorney Larry Freedman .
“I ask all those people who voted for me [in the Aug. 17 primary election] to make sure to vote again for Larry in the Nov. 2 general election,” said Erickson in a statement.
“I also urge anyone who did not participate in the primary to back him in this race.”
Erickson, an administrative judge and Port Angeles attorney, came in third in the three-way primary race, which narrowed the field to the top two contenders: Freedman, a Democrat like Erickson, and Kelly, a Republican seeking a third term in office.
Kelly, 57, won the primary by a landslide with 52.4 percent of 22,787 ballots cast. Freedman, 72, garnered 27.7 percent of the primary vote, and Erickson, 54, finished at 19.8 percent.
Ballots for the Nov. 2 general election will be mailed to voters countywide Oct. 13.
Criticisms and response
“Larry has the experience, background and managerial talent to be an exceptional prosecutor,” Erickson said.
She cited Freedman’s years as a law professor and judge, as well as being managing owner of two law practices and his experience as a federal prosecutor, and said he also is licensed to argue cases in front of the U.S. Supreme Court.
More importantly, she said, is Freedman shares her concerns about “ongoing and disturbing problems” in the prosecuting attorney’s office, especially in the area of personnel.
Erickson said Kelly “does a poor job of managing the office. All of the experienced prosecutors have quit.”
She also said the loss of key personnel has caused delays in court.
“It’s frustrating for all the people who work in the criminal justice system,” Erickson said, adding that Kelly has “damaged the stature of the office.
In response, Kelly said:
“I am extremely proud of the quality of my current staff.
“Collectively, my office has over 150 years of legal experience in Washington state.
“The average experience of a deputy prosecutor is well over 10 years.
“That said, turnover is a fact of life in the prosecutor’s office.
“I recruit high-quality people, and their quality makes them attractive to other offices.
“Most recent departures were due to jobs offered with promotional opportunities and substantial pay increases.”
Target of lawsuit
Erickson also said Kelly has caused the office to be the target of a multimillion-dollar age discrimination lawsuit by four former employees.
Kelly said:
“I do not discriminate against older women.
“For goodness sake, I am one. . . . I am confident that the lawsuit is frivolous, and the county will ultimately prevail.
“I disagree strongly with these political accusations.
“What I can tell you is that I am tough on crime, I demand hard work from my people, and I am fiercely proud of their job performance.
“We consider public service to the citizens of this county both a privilege and a calling.”
Erickson said “these issues have been going on for some time,” adding that, “the reason I ran was to be given the chance to address these problems.
“Larry and I are on the same page on these issues, and I’m completely confident he can and will bring the office up to the standards the people of Clallam County should expect from their prosecutor.”
Erickson urged voters to look beyond party lines.
“Being a prosecutor really doesn’t have anything to do with what party you belong to,” she said.
“What we need is the best person for the job, regardless.
“Larry Freedman is that person.”
