McClain is an Active and Well-Respected Prosecutor

I knew Mark during his tenure as Kittitas County Commissioner, his service as a reserve law enforcement officer and as a member of the Kittitas County Prosecutor's Office. Since Mark is a candidate for Pacific County Prosecutor, I will focus on his actions as an active prosecutor. When I say "active", that is exactly what I mean.

As a lay person, I saw Mark as a prosecutor who was unafraid to tackle the tough ones. Mark began work in the Kittitas County Prosecutor's Office by prosecuting misdemeanor and gross misdemeanor cases. His energy and knowledge of legal procedure soon resulted in his promotion and assignment to handling felony and more serious crimes in superior court. His reputation among his colleagues was that he understood the strengths and weaknesses of his cases and determined appropriate, and successful, prosecutorial courses of action.

As a result, Mark was respected by his law enforcement colleagues for his prosecutorial skills and for the fact that victim's needs trumped defendant's claims. It is safe to say that Mark's actions as senior deputy prosecutor in the Office of the Kittitas County Prosecutor were respected by the lay community as well, unless you were a defendant!

Mark McClain set the stage in Kittitas County for his accomplishments in Pacific County. When Mark left Ellensburg I told friends in Sea View, Long Beach, Ocean Park and Surfside, "Our loss is your gain". You, too, have seen him in action and know he is unafraid to enforce the law. What a pleasant change that is in today's world of political correctness.

Dr. JIMMIE R. APPLEGATE

Ellensburg and Long Beach