To the editor:

I am a Lincoln County deputy district attorney and I have been an Oregon attorney since 1998. Prior to coming to the Lincoln County district attorney’s office, I was an investigator for the Oregon Government Ethics Commission. This is a difficult letter to write, as I respect both candidates in the May primary race for Lincoln County district attorney.

However, I need to think about the protection of the public for the next four years and the management of the district attorney’s Office, especially right now with Covid-19 looming over our everyday life.

My boss, District Attorney Jonathan Cable, has been an attorney since 2002. His opponent, Lanee Danforth, has been an Oregon attorney since 2016, and a Nevada attorney since 2018. Cable has spent most of his entire adult life as a prosecutor, with nearly a decade in the Lincoln County DA’s Office, prosecuting every kind of case from murder to theft. His experience as a trial attorney is among the best in our county.

With the coronavirus, these are difficult times for law enforcement around the state. With budget cuts starting to happen, staff reduction, along with reduced court hours, we need experience to successfully navigate the changes ahead.

Right now, Jonathan Cable’s experience matters. He is showing solid leadership in these troubling times and is working 24/7 to maintain law and order while our county weathers this storm. When Ms. Danforth has had more years of experience, she will make a great candidate someday. But not just yet. Right now we need an experienced, ethical, and capable district attorney. Jonathan Cable has displayed to our office that he has those qualifications.

I hope the public will compare the candidates and make the right decision. Experience matters in times like these.

— Michael Thornicroft, Lincoln City