Mara’s Letter to the Editor, Lawyers Weekly: Don't abolish Governor's Council; elect the ‘best’ people

To the editor:

Members of the Governor's Council are the most consequential, least-known elected officials in Massachusetts. As the only candidate running against an incumbent councilor, Marilyn Petitto Devaney, I know firsthand how much it means to people to learn about the primary work of the council: vetting and voting on judicial nominations, members of the Parole Board, and commutations and pardons.

I have seen many people light up when they learn that they, through their Governor's Council member, have a say in determining who will hold these most critical positions.

Through the will of the voters, the council both approves worthy nominees while providing important protections against nomination mistakes made by governors.

I read your recent editorial on abolishing the Governor's Council with great interest, as it ran while I was in the midst of collecting signatures to qualify for the ballot and having those conversations with voters.

I strongly urge you to reconsider, as the most effective and fastest way to address any shortcomings of the council is to elect the best councilors.

It is essential that councilors ensure that all nominees have the highest qualifications for their positions. Our bench must not tilt toward the prosecution side, as it has for far too long. As a public defender with 15 years experience in our Superior, District and Juvenile courts, I know that no matter how much an attorney does to help their clients, if they do not appear before a judge who is able to fully understand the person belore them, their chances of justice are diminished.

Our justice sustem has the power to make sure folks leaving court understand that they have been treated fairly, with equal justice under the law, or feeling discouraged with a steeper road ahead to having the lives they want to lead — lives all people of good conscience want for them.

By electing the best people to serve on the Governors Council, we can quickly and efficiently make sure the council does its job the way it was intended to by the Massachusetts Constitution. Vetting and voting on judicial nominees, members of the Parole Board, and commutations and pardons are far too important to politicize or take lightly.

I hope that you will reconsider your published opinion on the Governor's Council and join me in advocating for working to elect the best people to serve.

Mara Dolan
Concord

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