The countdown to Election Day is on, with less than a fortnight remaining. Among the most hotly contested positions drawing significant attention in the region is the role of Erie County District Attorney. Two leading candidates in this contest recently engaged in a spirited political debate conducted under the aegis of St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute, situated in the Town of Tonawanda.
The race for Erie County District Attorney witnessed incumbent Michael Keane, from the Democratic party, pitting his wits against the Republican challenger, James Gardner. Keane, having stepped into the shoes of former DA John Flynn since March, has proved his mettle in the role. On the other hand, Gardner brings to the table over 14 years of rich experience as not only a prosecutor, but also a law clerk.
The debate gave a glimpse into divergent visions for the criminal justice system. Gardner profoundly stated that the system should stay clear of experimenting with social justice issues. On the contrary, Keane underscored the pervading thought that elements such as political affiliations, including Democrats and Republicans, have no standing in the course of justice.
Within the debate, students from the institute sparked thoughtful debates through contemporary questions covering a spectrum of topics, such as the significant rise in vehicle thefts, immigration matters, and modifications in bail protocols.
Juxtaposing views were seen on the topic of the state’s bail reform. In Gardner’s perspective, the reform triggered in 2020 had devastating effects and he laid the blame with the District Attorney’s office for the negligible bail requirement for misdemeanors. He put forth the premise that the functioning of the criminal justice system should allow for judges and prosecutors to use their judgment, basing it on individual case circumstances.
However, Keane took the stance that whilst they might indeed be part of the issue, the actual decision-making is the purview of the judges and rests solely on their discretion. The role of the District Attorney’s office, as he sees it, is to merely advise what they deem appropriate in each scenario.
The debate also brought to the forefront an advertisement that has been stirring controversy, with Gardner as the originator of the ad targeted at Keane. The issue echoed through the course of the debate, causing a heated exchange between the two candidates.
Keane addressed this contention by highlighting its outdated nature. The incident in the advertisement, as he noted, occurred approximately four decades prior when he was a student in college, resulting in him admitting to a single non-criminal violation.
The milestone event marked the 40th anniversary for St. Joe’s in conducting political debates. The inception of these debates dates back to 1984, under the leadership of the founder, Ted Lina.
As this year signals the celebration of four decades of sustaining the tradition of hosting political debates under Lina’s stewardship, previous students, in a show of bipartisan unity, came forward to honour their former mentor.