House bill 3025.
Sponsored by Representative Debbie Boone at the request of District Attorney Josh Marquis and apparently the topic of Marquis' appearance before the Governor's Advisory Committee
on DUII this Friday.
The bill changes the powers of the District Attorneys in Oregon so that they may take control of the investigation and prosecution of any misdemeanor committed in the county served by the District Attorney.
After several attempts to convince the Astoria City Council to turn over the misdemeanor DUII's currently handled in municipal court to the Circuit Court and the prosecution of those cases over to his office and being unable to make a convincing argument, Marquis takes it to
the State Legislature in a bill that would give DA's across the state the authority to take over any misdemeanor case from a city court. Makes one wonder why we need municipal courts.
Representative Boone says she has a responsibility to introduce legislation when requested by a constituent and Mr. Marquis qualifies. Mr. Marquis, obviously aware of the fact that without a champion this sort of bill usually either fails to get a hearing, or just dies in committee, is looking to the Governors Advisory Committee on DUII to give it's seal of approval to give the bill momentum.
Honestly, it doesn't matter to me which court hears the cases or who the prosecutor may be. I think most people think the same way unless, of course, a person has reason to believe it's easier to get "slap on the wrist" justice in a municipal courtroom. That sort of thing just hasn't been proven in the case of Astoria's municipal court. This bill would take away a local decision-making process and give more authority to the state with no good reason for doing so other than a desire to centralize control of the justice system.
Centralized control works very poorly in government. It just creates bigger, dirtier government. The Soviets proved that without a doubt. Russia is still trying to foster innovation and invention through state controlled big business and can't get anywhere with it. They do win the prize for most corrupt government on the planet. I'm not sure how many more lessons we need on this topic before we come to realize that while local control, right down to the city level isn't perfect, it's better. It's more representative of democracy and therefore closer to American ideals.
What do you think?
This has obviously come down to a "mine is bigger than yours" argument.
ReplyDeleteYou should quit while you're behind Josh. This is getting embarrassing for our community.
The city needs the money! Why would we give it to the State?
ReplyDeleteIts been proven with out a doubt the Mini court handles the drunk driving quite well.
Keep the money in town!!!! Buy local...shop local...spend local!
Next we will be told to buy all produce, etc from the State.
Marquis is turning his back on all of the citizens just to make more of a name for himself and MONEY. I am so discusted.
Can the citizens repeal his tactics?
Why is Josh doing this? If the lawyers involved in the Astoria Municipal Court are doing things illegal or unethical, he can file charges in court or at the Oregon Bar. If they are not, what is the difference between him trying to break the capability for cities to have municipal courts and the elimination of district attorneys in favor of a centralized state system under the management of the Attorney General. Is Josh getting psychotic or is there something going on he is not sharing? Thie whole thing is wasting the time of a leginlature that has bigger fish to fry.
ReplyDeleteThis is simply Mr. Marquis latest campaign, media is his drug, and this is yet another opportunity for that. Hopefully enough people in Clatsop County can see this for what it really is. It is likely that Rep. Boone has felt "pressure" from the local dem party under the direction of an elected official and feels "obligated", more like pressured to do this. Interesting that it's Boone and not Witt, since Astoria is in Witt's district, but then he has not given into the nasty whims of the local dem party, all of about twelve of them. Our area needs jobs, development, and funding for schools. I find it facinating that many of Marquis supporters are ticked off about Reba of all things, and will likely support his latest rants. The chaos seems to continue, is that justice or costly toxic politics?
ReplyDeleteI think the DA is just trying to justify his over staffed office and protect his office from the cuts that will come as budgets dwinfdle. This guy and his ego needs to be reeled in.
ReplyDeleteORS 8.660 Has and does give District Attorneys, Marquis included, the power to do what this legislation proposes anyway.
ReplyDeleteBoone's Bill just neatens-up the language from what I can tell.
Get him some help, then again this campaign is keeping him busy and he probably doesn't have the time to personally attack the Astoria City Council and the Mayor, wonder who he and Forrester will prosecute next in the paper. The list is getting longer. The smoking gun tactics are alive and well in Clatsop County! Clean up all the language you want Mr. McGee, this is about power and abuse, the man just cannot get enough of it.
ReplyDeleteSelf accceptance....what if people in positions of leadership practiced self acceptance fully, by embracing their own roadblocks, rather than setting up roadblocks for others? I believe we would have richer outcomes and less abuse of power.
ReplyDeleteTom, you are spot on regarding your valid criticism of local debates or issues being removed from local control, in this case the city of Astoria. Apparently Josh Marquis, unable to persuade the locals of his wisdom, like lawyers do, has appealed it to a higher authority, in this case the Legislature. I find it no different than a kid whining about not getting his way and going to the other parent to override the first. The second parent, in this case the ever malleable, liberal Debbie Boone, ever sensitive to victims of any kind,
ReplyDeletehappily agreed to introduce a bill to the state Legislature.
But Astoria will now be only a small voice next to the cities of Portland, Salem et al. Debbie Boone is telling the Astoria city council to go pound sand, although I must admit, she probably doesn't have any clue that that's what she just did. Josh Marquis might not be able to be persuasive to the city, but Debbie Boone, well, no problem there. And now he has his venue in order to build a lobbying effort to get his way.
I agree, it doesn’t matter much to me either which court hears DUI matters, but I do care that the local debate will now be superceded by one in Salem, where so many, many issues and money have been assumed and squandered, respectively.
My only difference of opinion with you is that Debbie Boone, by introducing a bill to give Marquis and all fellow district attorneys additional specific authority, is not just an innocent bystander doing her dutiful House representative schtick here. She's not required to accept a constituent request to sponsor a bill, regardless that a district attorney is making the request.
We have to assume she wants this new legal authority for district attorneys applied throughout the state, having thoroughly researched the issue with her staff, and having seriously considered all the ramifications (sarcasm off). Boone is over her head here as she is in virtually everything else that happens in Salem. But with both Marquis and the Daily Astorian in favor of higher authorities having power, how could Boone oppose it? I guess that's because Astoria's Senator Betsy Johnson and Astoria's House representative Brad Witt weren't available, despite their omnipresence in just about every conceivable public subject. That Boone is willing is a testimony to her cluelessness: first, she has no opinion regarding local control erosion, and second, she has no worries about Astoria constituents upset at her, because she has no constituents there.
Ol' Forrester sure likes to put Marquis up in headlines-photo included.
ReplyDeleteDo not trust anything Mcgee has to say! Keep in mind he (hated) the da and was not shy letting everyone know his hatred. Now in his view the da can do NO wrong?
ReplyDeleteWe are all suffering from loss of jobs, money. The da is stealing from the people in our town and feels the money is owed to him and the State. I object!
If no one cares where the DUIIs are treated then why not let the DA do it for nothing?
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone really doubt why the city fathers are fighting the DA's offer so hard?
Or why not just put it on the ballot and let Astoria voters decide?
We can grandstand and spin this all we want but again, District Attorney Marquis, by State Law, has always had the authority to take all those cases, DUII's in this instance, away from Astoria Municipal Court and it appears, in-fact, is charged with doing so by "The State".
ReplyDeleteAh!! The Motives to keep or take these cases from a Municipal Court To a Circuit? Hmmmmmm!, Let's see now, who stands to benefit most here and who serve the inte interests of our community best in prosecuting and administering "The Law" regarding DUII's?
How long before a true tragedy in this community will cause its citizens to force the decision for all parties?
Moderated comments=agree with Tom get posted.
ReplyDeleteOtherwise, forget it,
Darts and No Laurels to Marquis and Boone on this one.
ReplyDeleteRight now we need to save our schools, create jobs and build the community, not a tug a war with Courts.
Marquis has picked the wrong battle at the wrong time.
The DA should take all DUII cases in Clatsop County. The Astoria Muni court is a Kangaroo court in which one can buy their way out of a DUII if you have enough money and are connected... oh, and also hire the right connected attorney.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that Astoria is more interested in revenue than equal justice is very concerning. Is Astoria Muni court a court of record yet?
"Floyd Holcom said...
ReplyDeleteDarts and No Laurels to Marquis and Boone on this one.
Right now we need to save our schools, create jobs and build the community, not a tug a war with Courts.
Marquis has picked the wrong battle at the wrong time."
Your seat up for grabs in the upcoming "Special District Elections" Floyd?
Sounds like the usual "Election Cycle" campaign rhetoric to me but, I would love to hear your clarification of your point to see how this ties-in with Marquis.
Go ahead.....
There you are McGee, maybe you can try to get elected again for something. Then you could really show off your wisdom.
ReplyDelete"Anonymous said...
ReplyDeleteThere you are McGee, maybe you can try to get elected again for something. Then you could really show off your wisdom."
Thank you for that vote of confidence "Anonym" but you know what? I am very comfortable just being one single voice in the wilderness and an observer of our community. There is a place for us here as well.
Why don't you run for office "Anonym"? You have plenty of name recognition and are very vocal on all issues around here and very willing to challenge all comers.
Times awaisting, get down to County Elections while you still can, put your name into the hat and "Let-er-rip Tater Chip"
Soviet control was about power without accountability.
ReplyDeleteKind of like Muni Court.
No election, no appeal, no review.
In Circuit Court. Election, appeal, review.
Floyd, please tell us how getting tougher on DUIIs hurts job growth?
I'd think a company would want to be in a town where the law gets enforced.
Remember what Astoria was like in the early 1990s before the Astoria Police Department cleaned up downtown?
After that happened all kinds of business people invested....the Elliot, Fulios, Silver Salmon, etc.
Astoria ia in need of no cost/free rehab. Circuit court is to severe, going to jail is no help. Force the alcoholic to go to a re-hab would be a answer to all problems.
ReplyDeleteSo many empty buildings, use one them for free rehab! Most alcoholic need some medication, support, family that can visit often (when they can) not when jail has certain hours.
If the law exists that allows the DA to take over any DUII cases he wants, why does Josh not simply exercise this law? Is he not confident in his legal opinion that he already has the power or is he attempting to rub the City Council's nose in this, maybe because they will not join the fraudlent drug task force?
ReplyDeleteHow is it that Marquis has this kind of time on his hands to stir all these pots all the time? You don't hear about other district attorney's behaving this way, we've hit embarressing, for sure! Maybe an Emmy award for the most dramatic DA is in order.
ReplyDeleteA quick Reply. If local Government can only be run from those that “Think” they can do it better from above, then we wouldn't have any local governments at all.
ReplyDeleteFor the DA to spend taxpayers dollars for this issue at this time tells me we are losing a sense of community priorities. Much like remodeling city hall at 9% unemployment.
Perhaps you can sponsor a Civics class at AHS with the money your spending on this issue. I'm sure Craig Hoppes could use the money.
It has nothing to do with the LAW, but more to do with lawyers.
Ah, Floyd, you must realize that Josh needs to fight. He has shot his wad with the County Commission for the time being and he is obviously bored (listen to him at Rotary) so why should he not turn his angst to the Astoria City Council? Like the other "professional" elected official in the county, Josh has no reason to build the county. He only needs to preserve his ego and keep from being bored. Besides, Josh has the ear of Steve Forrester so all his weird ideas will be presented as favorable by Forrester (who may have the same mental problems). Josh is a great example of why Oregon should do away with elected district attorneys and simply put prosecutions under the Attorney General. Of course, many people, including Forrester would not have gotten the benefit of a local DAs forgiveness, but justice will more likely be served with a centralized system. One has to ask, however, is the point of this exercise to serve justice or to serve a particular personality?
ReplyDeleteAll this is, is a pi--ing contest between the editor and the Mayor.
ReplyDeleteAnd the editor has found someone to throw his rocks for him. Why do you think he made it personal with his last editorial???
Marquis wants to be in the news to further andvance himself. He uses his power to continue another stepping stone.
ReplyDeleteHow did Marquis forgive Forrester? Have we missed something?
I have heard Marquis always goes with the reporting person, he wants the vote!!
Right, after 18 years, the DA is just getting ready to run for another office.
ReplyDeleteLike he's done so often before.
And if you wanted to make friends would you take on Willis and the City Council?
What exactly does the DA have to gain other than some DUII cases, many of which will be difficult and his office will probably lose some.
Think about what the various parties have to lose and gain....
I'm thinking most Astorians have discovered the curtain behind, which, "The Wizard" sits.
ReplyDelete"Anonymous said...
ReplyDeleteRight, after 18 years, the DA is just getting ready to run for another office.
Like he's done so often before.
And if you wanted to make friends would you take on Willis and the City Council?
What exactly does the DA have to gain other than some DUII cases, many of which will be difficult and his office will probably lose some.
Think about what the various parties have to lose and gain....
7:00 AM"
Run for another office?
Just what would that be "Anonym"?
Is the DA upset he didn’t get the federal appointment???
ReplyDeleteWow, did you see the item on the Commissioners agenda after the one on the Kingdom of Bergin? Patrick McGee has asked to become MEDIA and be allowed to attend the Commission Executive sessions. The recommendation it to allow this, since most everything is media these days. Now, the question will be, can McGee actually keep his mouth shut about all the secret information he will gain. Bets?
ReplyDelete"Josh Marquis is one of the best DA's in Oregon"
ReplyDeleteLars Larson
Huh?
"Anonymous said...
ReplyDeleteWow, did you see the item on the Commissioners agenda after the one on the Kingdom of Bergin? Patrick McGee has asked to become MEDIA and be allowed to attend the Commission Executive sessions. The recommendation it to allow this, since most everything is media these days. Now, the question will be, can McGee actually keep his mouth shut about all the secret information he will gain. Bets?
12:04 PM"
Awwwww!
What's the matter "Anonym", you angry cause you didn't get Profita's "OPB Gig" and can only get press for being "A Usually Reliable Source"?
Those Exec. Sessions carry some pretty stiff rules and penalties under Oregon Public Meetings Law as to what "The Media's" responsibilities are don't they?
OMG. Now Marquis is part of the plot to pick juries based off our information on FaceBook. Doesn't he know some people on FaceBook don't always tell the truth, about schooling, interests?
ReplyDeleteSo if somebody cuts/copies/and pastes/and advocates for the cave's in the community (citizens against virtually everything) you can be media? OMG!!!
ReplyDelete"Anonymous said...
ReplyDeleteSo if somebody cuts/copies/and pastes/and advocates for the cave's in the community (citizens against virtually everything) you can be media? OMG!!!
5:31 PM"
OMG!!! This brave "Anonym" says?
And what does the Father of the "Holy Grail of Journalism" Joseph Pulitzer say?..."You must go for your million circulation, and,
when you have got it, turn the minds and the votes of your readers one way or
the other at critical moments."
Patrick, if you are going to be respected media, you have got to come up with smarter stuff that this. actually, you need to spell things out. What, for example, does OMG!!! mean to the average reader? Even high school students know better than this.
ReplyDelete"Those Exec. Sessions carry some pretty stiff rules and penalties under Oregon Public Meetings Law as to what "The Media's" responsibilities are don't they?"
ReplyDeleteThey DO??? What are these "pretty stiff rules and penalties on the Media's responsibilities" McGee? Maybe the Commission should require the "media" to quote that section before granting someone the PRIVILEGE of being at an executive meeting?
192.660 Executive sessions permitted on certain matters; procedures; news media representatives’ attendance; limits.(4) Representatives of the news media shall be allowed to attend executive sessions other than those held under subsection (2)(d) of this section relating to labor negotiations or executive session held pursuant to ORS 332.061 (2) but the governing body may require that specified information be undisclosed.
Where are the "stiff rules" and "stiff penalties"?