Neal and Malek vying for Bonneville County Prosecuting Attorney

IDAHO FALLS — Local lawyer John Malek is challenging existent Bonneville County Prosecutor Randy Neal successful nan title for Bonneville County Prosecuting Attorney.

The title is for a four-year term. Both candidates are Republican.

EastIdahoNews.com sent nan aforesaid 8 questions to each region candidate. Their responses, listed below, were required to beryllium 250 words aliases less. EastIdahoNews.com is publishing nan answers successful their entirety, and without immoderate grammatical aliases style editing.

The superior predetermination is May 21.

Tell america astir yourself — see accusation astir your family, career, education, unpaid activity and immoderate anterior acquisition successful nationalist office.

Neal:
– I americium nan elected Prosecuting Attorney for Bonneville County
– I person 40 years wide successful rule enforcement and nan law, 18 years arsenic a rule enforcement officer, 22 years arsenic an lawyer and 8 1/2 years arsenic a charismatic (state and federal)
– I person prosecuted thousands of cases, including complete 2 twelve assemblage tests pinch a 97% condemnation rate
– I Graduated pinch honors from nan William S. Boyd School of Law (UNLV), and Brigham Young University pinch a Bachelor’s Degree successful Communications,
– Born successful Gooding, Idaho, raised connected a mini workplace successful Tuttle, graduated from Twin Falls High School.
– Previously certified arsenic a bid officer, coach and master witnesser successful rule enforcement subjects successful Utah, Texas, Nevada and Idaho.
– Admitted to believe rule successful eleven jurisdictions and person represented clients passim nan country.
– Admitted to nan U.S. Supreme Court and person based on earlier nan Circuit Court of Appeals for nan Eighth, Ninth, Tenth and Federal Circuits; and nan Idaho and Utah Court of Appeals.
– Republican Precinct Committee Officer and personnel of nan Regional and State Central Committees
– Prior work arsenic a Volunteer Reserve Deputy Sheriff and E.M.T.
– Past Commander, section seasoned support organization, (not named to support its governmental neutrality)
– Pro Bono CASA Guardian Ad Litem (Child Protection cases)
– Church Missionary, Ward Leadership, Boy Scout/youth programs big leader, Children’s programme instructor, Sunday School Instructor

Malek: I americium a proud hubby to my awesome woman Margaret and begetter to my 5 boys and soon-to-be-born daughter. I americium a seasoned and person been a subject serviceman successful nan United States Air Force and Air Guard (no national endorsement implied aliases intended!) for 16 years and person worked successful nan ineligible section for conscionable complete a decade—most of that clip arsenic a charismatic for nan military. I sewage my bachelor’s from nan University of Portland, my Master’s successful Public Administration from nan University of Montana, a Graduate Certificate successful Nuclear Weapons Effects, Policy and Proliferation from nan Air Force Institute of Technology, and my Juris Doctor from Gonzaga University (Go Zags!).

Before becoming a lawyer, I was a atomic weapons usability and excelled arsenic an operator. I was past selected to thatch astatine 1 of nan Air Force’s activity schools. From location I went nan JAG serviceman way and worked operations law, typical operations, and criminal prosecution. After getting disconnected progressive work I worked for nan Department of Energy for astir a twelvemonth earlier starting my ain rule firm.

Why are you seeking governmental office? Briefly explicate your governmental platform.

Malek: I americium moving for agency because concerned citizens asked maine to, and because I judge that I will beryllium an effective nationalist servant, leader, and will activity Justice for our community. Violent crime is up astatine slightest 10 percent, but felony prosecutions are down astir 10 percent. Our organization is increasing and nan existent charismatic is not rising to nan challenges of our increasing population. I will prosecute further attorneys to capable vacancies and tally an effective and master office. I will amended nan moving narration betwixt nan prosecutor’s agency and rule enforcement, and thief them ace down connected rising crime.

Neal:
– I judge location is grant successful humble, selfless nationalist service
As a statement I judge in:
– Personal work and Accountability
– Maximizing individual prime and state and minimizing authorities interference and taxation
– That life is sacred
– That nan U.S. Constitution is an inspired document, and that its protection is nan superior work of each elected officials
– That each citizens person nan correct to beryllium heard
– That each citizens person nan correct to believe according to their ain religion and conscience
– That America succeeds erstwhile nan mostly of its citizens person adhered to blimpish values and principles
– That nan correct to self-defense and nan defense of others is simply a earthy correct we are each calved with, and our individual correct to support and carnivore arms must not beryllium interfered pinch successful matters of self-defense, nan communal defense of our organization and to defy tyranny arsenic our founding fathers recovered it basal astatine nan commencement of our nation.
– That elected officials must protect families and parental authorities to take what is champion for their children
– That governmental decisions should beryllium made pinch transparency, pinch civilian chat and communal respect
– That managing nationalist costs is simply a ineffable trust, and thing should beryllium spent connected thing which is not perfectly basal to protect our organization aliases fulfill nan purposes of authorities group distant successful nan Preamble to nan United States and Idaho Constitutions

What areas successful your region request contiguous improvement? What actions will you return to reside those needs?

Neal:
– The prosecutor’s agency and section rule enforcement agencies are facing a staffing shortage, which is portion of a statewide and nationwide crisis
– We are staffed pinch nan aforesaid number of attorneys nan agency employed successful 1987
– Fortunately, we are afloat staffed successful each different areas.
– I person been aggressively recruiting caller attorneys, visiting rule schoolhouse campuses, expanding salary and different incentives pinch nan thief of nan region commissioners, and expanding wherever and really we station our occupation announcements
– The sad truth is that location are simply less attorneys who wish to activity successful criminal and particularly nan nationalist sector, astatine slightest partially because of changed perceptions concerning rule enforcement and prosecution
– Like rule enforcement, I americium moving done outreach programs and societal media to amended our image arsenic nationalist servants pinch a noble task
– It is simply not applicable to judge that applicants will abruptly re-appear
– The existent activity situation is to get nan occupation done pinch nan attorneys we have
– That has meant a complete wide successful nan measurement we prosecute, reducing redundancy and expanding nan ways successful which our support unit thief america to execute our mission
– And it is working, we person not asked rule enforcement to curtain immoderate of their activities including arrests, and nan courts person not seen a important effect successful nan processing of criminal cases
– This nationalist inclination and marketplace conditions will not beryllium quickly aliases easy solved
– It requires a semipermanent approach, arsenic I talk successful different parts of this questionnaire

Malek: There is simply a cognition that location is simply a revolving doorway successful our jails that is allowing convulsive criminals to reoffend. There are besides superior concerns astir nan measurement money is spent successful nan existent prosecutor’s office. Additionally, a terrible deficiency of connection betwixt nan prosecutor’s agency and rule enforcement and nan defense organization is causing inefficiency, injustice, and harm to nan community. Police officers are uncovering retired whether they person to beryllium astatine tribunal from defense counsel. New vehicles, agency accoutrements, TVs, and different extraneous expenditures are wasting payer dollars.

My experiences prosecuting successful Kootenai County and for nan military, and moving nan biggest prosecutor’s agency successful nan Air Force springiness maine nan acquisition and subject to reside these issues. I will prosecute nan correct group and prioritize nan halfway usability of nan prosecutor’s agency to activity justice.

East Idaho News precocious published an article astir nan caller “emotional support” puppy. This is simply a premier illustration of nan nonaccomplishment of attraction successful nan existent office. Office unit are being utilized against their will to babysit an untrained puppy who is successful nary measurement a support animal. Meanwhile, a awesome organization partner, nan Idaho Chaplains, person six trained support animals who person not been banned from nan courthouse nan measurement “Solfi” has. The charismatic besides conscionable spent money connected military-style situation coins. I’ve sewage a postulation of those and emotion dropping a situation astatine nan officer’s nine arsenic overmuch arsenic immoderate subject operator, but location are bigger problems that request fixing correct now.

What are nan top semipermanent challenges facing group successful your county? What is your scheme to meet those challenges?

Malek: The maturation of our organization present is presenting america pinch galore challenges we request to look caput on. There are inadequate resources to behaviour nan forensic autopsies needed to prosecute superior offenses for illustration fentanyl distribution. We request much constabulary officers, much prosecutors, and much defense counsel to support cases moving is simply a timely and conscionable manner. We request much expertise successful nan prosecutor’s agency truthful that cases do not get dismissed for improper handling arsenic has happened connected aggregate occasions successful nan past 2 years.

Having been to recruiting events present successful Idaho, we tin perfectly enlistee much attorneys to nan area and support rule enforcement successful their recruitment and retention efforts. Reversing existent trends pinch respect to convulsive crime and nan deficiency of charismatic support to rule enforcement will return effort, but is achievable.

The Eastern Idaho Forensic Pathology Center was precocious voted down by Bannock County, but we tin return a activity domiciled successful bringing that overmuch needed assets to Eastern Idaho. This is simply a overmuch needed assets that will thief reside nan truth that nan number of autopsies per decease successful Bonneville County are immoderate of nan lowest successful nan full nation.

Neal:
– The azygous top situation successful Bonneville County is simply a rising crime rate
– Although maturation is simply a important factor, we cannot simply hold for maturation to end
– One awesome facet is recidivism, aliases nan number of criminals who perpetrate further crimes contempt being punished aliases fixed opportunities astatine rehabilitation
– A very mini number of group perpetrate nan mostly of crimes
– As portion of my Career Criminal Initiative (signified by an orangish dot connected our lawsuit files), I person worked pinch rule enforcement and probation agencies to place and target profession criminals and fastener them up for a agelong time
– I person worked pinch nan legislature to alteration our laws to let rule enforcement much engagement successful enforcing conditions and restrictions of probation, and to let nan prosecutor’s agency much devices successful assisting victims to cod connected orders of restitution
– In those cases involving intelligence health, addiction aliases different akin guidelines causes, we are focusing connected problem solving courts

How will you champion correspond nan views of your constituents – moreover those pinch differing governmental views? How will you pass straight pinch constituents?

Neal:
– The group of Bonneville County want elected officials to lead based connected our communal organization values and principles
– I person made prosecutorial decisions pinch transparency and pinch opportunities for rule enforcement and victims to beryllium meaningfully heard
– As portion of this stewardship, I person utilized municipality halls, media interviews and societal media to afloat explicate successful simple, understandable ways, nan ground for our decisions
– I person trained my prosecutors to beryllium capable to articulate nan ground for each decision, and to picture really our decisions facilitate reaching our prosecutorial priorities and goals
– Town halls and different forums specified arsenic societal media are keeping nan organization informed and maintaining our beardown ties pinch nan community. The Sheriff, State Police District Captain, section Chiefs of Police and I person already held six municipality hallway meetings passim nan county
– As prosecuting attorney, I was elected to protect everyone, and on pinch our rule enforcement partners we proceed to shape beardown ties pinch nan community
– Addressing crime successful our region is organization responsibility, not conscionable a authorities responsibility
– Fortunately, nan extremity to support our organization safe is shared crossed each governmental viewpoints and our organization is moving together to trim crime sloppy of differing governmental views

Malek: I scheme connected seeking justness each time I americium successful office. There is thing partisan astir seeking justice. Victims and their families request justice. Those accused of crimes request justness arsenic well. I judge our full organization is agreed successful a desire to reside nan rising crime rates and guarantee our criminal justness strategy is responsive and just. I americium responsive to telephone calls and emails now, and do not scheme connected changing that. I will besides beryllium a regular beingness astatine nan courthouse and different nationalist fora truthful that Bonneville County citizens tin speak their minds and beryllium heard.

What parts of nan region fund could usage much funding? Where are places successful nan fund wherever cuts could beryllium made?

Malek: I scheme connected addressing discarded successful nan prosecutor’s agency earlier asking for further funding. In my galore discussions pinch rule enforcement and others, it is clear that we request further attorneys, and rule enforcement officers. We request forensic and autopsy capacity to reside nan types of crimes (such arsenic fentanyl distribution) we are seeing plague our community. These are things I scheme connected moving pinch City, County, and State partners connected sloppy of whether that requires further backing aliases simply a reallocation of resources.

Neal:
– Traditionally, nan prosecutor’s agency has not been a awesome percent of nan region budget.
– However, owed to caller changes successful conditions successful nan location ineligible occupation market, “cheap labor” arsenic it pertains to attorneys successful nan nationalist assemblage is becoming mostly a point of nan past
– In eastbound Idaho, location are complete 2 twelve vacancies for nationalist assemblage attorneys successful half a twelve different jurisdictions and offices.
– This shortage is some a statewide and nationwide crisis
– We person been calling connected our ineligible assistants, which are fortunately astatine afloat staff, to measurement up to capable nan gaps successful our lawyer staffing and do much paralegal type work
– Many person assemblage and moreover precocious degrees and moving acold beyond nan expectations of their occupation descriptions
– We person nary different action but to summation salary and activity incentives to enlistee caller prosecutors and clasp our existent staff
– Fortunately, Bonneville County has been operating pinch a thin fund for decades
– Conservative principles person prevented nan region from having a batch of “fat to trim”

What is nan domiciled of section media successful your community? How tin region officials activity to person a amended narration pinch nan media?

Neal:
– As a nationalist charismatic I judge successful transparency and accountability done keeping nan nationalist informed
– I person kept nan nationalist much informed done accepted and societal media
– We person besides been posting nan outcomes of our prosecutions done “transparency successful sentencing” posts which pass nan nationalist of our recommendations and nan judge’s sentence
– To each grade imaginable I person cooperated pinch news media pinch an oculus toward allowing nan nationalist to understand prosecutorial decisions successful a transparent way
– Our accent is connected effective prosecution and not simply connected efficiency
– As a nationalist servant, our organization has nan correct to capable accusation to measure our effectiveness arsenic their advocator successful nan criminal courts
– As nan superior ineligible advisor to nan region government, I person worked to streamline nationalist records requests and maximize nan transparency of our efforts to service nan public

Malek: I will beryllium arsenic unfastened and transparent arsenic possible. I will support my ethical responsibilities regarding speaking connected progressive investigations and cases wherever an impartial assemblage whitethorn beryllium needed successful mind. Honesty and transparency pinch nan citizens of Bonneville County and nan media are basal to building spot and assurance successful our justness system.

Voter turnout and information continues to beryllium debased successful Idaho. What efforts tin beryllium made to stimulate greater elector engagement successful elections and government?

Malek: I scheme connected being fearless successful my willingness to prosecute pinch voters and promote their participation. Making judge accusation is disposable to voters truthful they tin take really to participate successful our governmental process is basal to nan continued wellness of our civic community. There are galore ways to talk to voters, and I scheme connected utilizing arsenic galore arsenic possible.

Neal:
– Growing up, immoderate of nan astir trusted institutions of my procreation were church, rule enforcement, boy scouts and elected officials
– Now, forty years later nan these awesome institutions person go punchlines
– This has effected nan measurement younger generations look astatine our state and our community
– The deficiency of engagement successful nan elections successful my position reflects this alteration successful taste outlook
– If we do not reverse this trend, we will proceed to spot a descent successful spot of patriotic institutions that were ever nan symbols of nan greatness of nan American experiment, and an ignorant toward state and democracy
– That originates pinch our children. We must instill successful them values that were nan backbone of American pride.
– We must push backmost against nan perceived “coolness” of being unpatriotic and being cynical of nan motives of nationalist officials
– My solution, to nan grade I tin make a difference, is successful each determination seeking to do nan correct point for nan correct reason
– Case by case, each nationalist servants must reconstruct nationalist trust, and successful my case, beryllium that location is grant successful nan conflict for justice