Lin announces bid for prosecutor

EPHRATA — Grant County Deputy Prosecutor Albert H. Lin announced he is running for the Grant County Prosecutor’s Office.

“I’ve been with the prosecutor’s office for nearly a decade,” he said. “I’ve prosecuted violent criminals, child sex cases, I think I have the best knowledge of how this office works from all the departments from the felony division to the misdemeanor division to the civil division.”

He said his goal is to be a working prosecutor by fighting crime, getting results and protecting victim’s rights. He wants to protect the young to the elderly through the law.

“That’s why I’m running,” Lin said.

He said if elected he plans to work hard toward reforming the juvenile system by prosecuting juvenile offenders and having them rehabilitated so they learn the concepts of personal responsibility and accountability for their actions.

Lin also plans for a transparent budget process.

“We are in an era of limited resources,” he said. “We need to have a working prosecutor who has a proven track record of being able to go to court and win to get jury convictions. I have that proven track record. That’s important and necessary for this job.”

Lin encourages citizens to vote for him because he says his skills, knowledge, experience and his ability to work well with other people. He said being able to communicate well with the community is key for the position.

“If you look at my committee that I put together, I have a strong committee of people,” Lin said. “I believe you’ve got to work with the community.”

He said his committee to elect him is comprised of several community leaders including former senator Harold Hochstatter, Tom Middleton, William Riley, Jon Smith, Kevin Moore, Justin Stickel and Jim Weitzel.

“I want to be able to put together a team of responsible people who believe in common sense that the prosecutor should be one that cares about fighting crime, protecting victims and getting results. I have that track record,” he said. “I believe in honesty and integrity. I’m a family guy. I believe in certain principals.”

Lin said those principals entail hard work, productivity and a passion for law and protecting victims.

“People who know me, know that I am a hard worker, that I’m honest and my word is good,” he said.

Lin graduated from the University of Washington Jackson School of International Studies with a Bachelor of Arts in 1991. He earned his law degree from Syracuse University College of Law in 1997. He began working as a deputy prosecutor with the Grant County Prosecutor’s Office in 1999. Eventually he was promoted to work felony cases where he focused on prosecuting violent offenders, illegal aliens possessing fraudulent documents and also became an advocate for victim’s rights.