A Landslide of the Informed, A Surprising Endorsement, and the Decarcerate Cake
This race is getting more winnable every day. We are in a landslide of the informed. All we need to do is make sure as many voters are informed as possible, because so much is at stake. Here’s just one stunning statistic for you: in the last 20 years in Massachusetts, there have been 475 applications for a commutation. Two have been granted. Two. So when I went to the Progressive Mass summer party, I brought a cake that made a policy statement: DECARCERATE.
Of course decarceration deserves much more than a tasty policy statement. It deserves action. Our criminal justice system at its best helps people get their lives back on track. At its worst, it perpetuates systemic racism. Massachusetts has one of the highest rates of incarceration in the world. You read that right. And we incarcerate people of color at 7-9 times the rate of whites. Commutations are one of the most effective mechanisms we have to correct systemic racism within our criminal justice system. As your Governor’s Councilor, I will make sure nominees to the Parole Board are ready, willing, and able to recommend commutations and to implement the recommendations of the Mass Bar Association Clemency Task Force. They include timely review of applications, timely hearings, the right to counsel, and the right to present evidence including witnesses.
I am very proud to announce my endorsement by the State Police Association of Massachusetts. They know that even though I am a public defender, and we are often on opposite sides, we must have a Governor’s Councilor with experience in our court system who understands the issues we face there. My clients are not the elites. They do not have money, and they do not have powerful connections. What they have is the rule of law, and I will always stand strong against anyone who tries to take that away.
I am thrilled to have Christina Knowles as campaign director! Christina served as state director for the National Organization of Women’s Massachusetts Chapter and as finance director of the Yes on 3 Transgender Equal Rights ballot question. For more on Christina and my whole outstanding team, check out my Campaign Team.
Rep. Tom Stanley (D-Waltham) is leading the fight against the opiate crisis, making a huge difference for individuals and families stricken by the devastation and death opiate use disorder can cause. “Mara will make sure our judges and Parole Board members respect the science of addiction and work to support recovery,” he said. I am very honored to have Rep. Stanley’s endorsement.
“Our courts are on the front lines of the opiate crisis,” said Rep. John Lawn (D-Watertown) in his endorsement. “Mara's experience working in our court system as a public defender gives her the insight and expertise needed to make sure our judicial system is doing everything possible to tackle the opiate crisis.” Rep. Lawn’s endorsement means a lot to me, and I am very thankful.
So excited to tell you that our lawn signs are here! Like our campaign, they have a simple message. Mara Dolan, Public Defender, Democrat for Governor’s Council. Let us know if you’d like a lawn sign, and give what you can to help us reach as many voters as possible. Thanks to the Supreme Judicial Court’s recent decision to uphold the Mass VOTES Act, people will start sending mail-in ballots within just a few weeks. That means we need to get our message out as far and wide as quickly as we can. Click HERE TO DONATE, and know that your contribution will go a long way and really make a difference.
I can't wait for our Lunchtime Conversation with the Innocence Network's Daniel Medwed. It starts at noon on Monday, July 18th, and we'd love to have you join us. Please click HERE to register.
The work of this campaign isn’t just about winning. It’s about people’s lives, and making sure we have a Governor’s Councilor who will be an agent for progressive change. Read this week’s story in Commonwealth Magazine for more on why I won’t vote yes unless a nominee is pro-choice, anti-racist, and understands the science of addiction and will work to support recovery. Think of all the people we can help, all the families and their children, and please give what you can.
Take care,
Mara
