4 vie for district attorney spot

McALISTERVILLE - Four Juniata County men vying for the Republican nomination to seek the district attorney's office this November had a chance to present their credentials saturday evening during the Juniata County Republican Committee's annual picnic.

The four candidates were each given five minutes to address the crowd gathered at Lost Creek Community Park for the event. The candidates who have announced they are seeking the nomination are: Brian "Bo" Baker, Randall Zimmerman, Cory Snook and John Mort, current district attorney. Former District Attorney Kenneth Mummah was elected to serve as a common pleas judge for Juniata/Perry counties. Mummah secured both party nominations for judge in the May primary, defeating Magisterial District Judge Dan McGuire and Perry County Attorney Kevin Prosser.

Pennsylvania Gov. Edward G. Rendell recently announced the Senate confirmation of Mummah, who was not slated to take the oath of office until January 2010. The confirmation by the Senate and early appointment by Rendell was necessary because of some recent shifting of judges in the district.

Brian "Bo" Baker was the first to address the crowd, giving a brief history of his legal background. Baker said he is a life-long resident of Juniata County and a 1990 graduate of Juniata High School. Baker said he began his career at a private firm in Juniata County in 2000 and that his experience has been mostly in criminal defense.

"I would like to say that we can be comfortable that there are four attorneys here - the others I consider friends and colleagues - who would also do a fine job."

John Mort, who is currently serving as the district attorney, said that he has been living and practicing law in Juniata County since 1981 and has been the assistant district attorney in Juniata County since 1990.

"What do I bring to the table? First, I am the district attorney of Juniata County at the present time," Mort said. "The law says that the first assistant district attorney shall become district attorney but if he declined it, it would be by judicial appointment. I excepted that position without hesitation I'm proud to have it and I was in a position to accept it because I have been the assistant (district attorney) for the past 19 years."

Cory Snook said he is a Juniata County native and gained a special appreciation for the area when he lived outside the area after graduating from law school. Snook said he currently lives in Mifflintown where he has started his own law practice from "scratch"

"I did not enter in this decision lightly," Snook said. "I think it would be a great honor to serve in that capacity and along with that great honor comes great responsibility I feel that the district attorney has a responsibility to be a community leader and whether that is being involved with civil service groups, volunteer work or going to speak at the schools so that students of today become good law abiding citizens of tomorrow."

Randall Zimmerman, who said he has experience trying cases in Perry, Juniata and Mifflin counties, also said he has a "debt" to pay to Juniata County which has prodded him to seek the nomination.

"This county supported my father when he stood up here 50 years ago ... 50 years ago he was standing up here talking about being a representative, a couple years ago my brother was up here talking," Zimmerman said, referring to his brother Jeff Zimmerman who is a Juniata County Commissioner. "This county also helped me make a living to raise (my children) but more important than money you people gave me a community with the values and morals to help me raise my kids and I'm proud of that."

On Aug. 20 the committee will be having a voting session during which the full committee including members of the executive committee who have not abstained from the process will nominate the Juniata County Republican candidate for district attorney by rounds, with the candidate receiving the least amount of votes removed from the pool, until there is only one candidate remaining.