Deputy prosecutor plans to run; assistant city attorney may make it three-way contest
A deputy prosecutor assigned to major crimes said Monday he plans to run in next year’s race to succeed longtime elected prosecutor Art Curtis, who is stepping down. Meanwhile, a Vancouver assistant city attorney and political activist said he’s considering running.
Tony Golik, 42, has been with the Clark County Prosecutor’s Office for 10 years. He has handled misdemeanors, general felonies and drug cases in addition to major crimes.
He’s running on the platform that the county’s top law enforcement officer should be a seasoned prosecutor.
“It’s imperative that a county prosecutor have criminal prosecution experience,” he said. “That’s definitely the lion’s share of the job.”
So far, three attorneys, including Golik, have expressed interest in the position.
Vancouver assistant city attorney Brent Boger said he might run, but on Monday said he planned make an official announcement after the first of next year.
After Curtis announced Thursday that he plans to step down at the end of his term in December 2010, his chief deputy, Curt Wyrick, also said he wanted to run.
Wyrick, 60, has been chief deputy prosecutor since 1990. While he has served in the office’s child support and criminal divisions, a bulk of his time has been spent representing the county and elected officials in the civil division.
Golik, a Milwaukie, Ore., native, began his law career as deputy prosecutor in Spokane County in 1995.
After being hired in Clark County, Golik began handling misdemeanors and general felonies before moving to major crimes in 2004.
If elected, Golik, a Democrat, said he’ll focus on cracking down on the area’s emerging gang problem. He also said he would vigorously prosecute repeat domestic violence offenders and seek stiff sentences for sex offenders.
Instead of just supervising the county’s 33 criminal deputy prosecutors and five civil prosecutors, Golik wants to continue to personally handle some trials and work closely with police.
“I want to be a working prosecutor,” he said. “I want to lead from the front.”
Boger, also Clark County’s state Republican Party committeeman, has worked in the city attorney’s office for 11 years. He has been assigned to the criminal division and also has represented officials in land-use and financial issues.
In 2006, Boger unsuccessfully ran against incumbent state Court of Appeals Judge Joel Penoyar.
Boger said: “The county prosecutor is not a bad office, but I think they need new direction in where they put their resources. And I think I can bring that.”
He cited the need for the elected prosecutor to keep the office adequately staffed while absorbing a $1.8 million budget shortfall. Currently, the prosecutor’s office has delayed filling positions and two attorneys have been laid off.
The primary race for county prosecutor will be in August, and the top two vote-getters will square off in the November election. This year, the position paid $148,832.
Laura McVicker: laura.mcvicker@columbian.com or 360-735-4516.
