Pat Monasmith

Local lawyer wants ‘shift in priorities’ in prosecutor’s office

BY JAMIE HENNEMAN
Special to the S-E

Chewelah attorney Pat Monasmith announced his candidacy for Stevens County Prosecuting Attorney last week, officially launching his campaign for the position.
A long-time local resident, Monasmith said he is running for prosecutor in hopes of improving communication between law enforcement and the county prosecutor’s office.
“Right now, there is a real disconnect between area law enforcement and the prosecutor’s office, which is not only frustrating, but can sometimes mean the law is not being fully upheld,” Monasmith said. “The lack of trials in this county for major crimes suggests that there are not clear standards in the prosecutor’s office. A lack of standards on how the law will be applied means a case can be compromised because law enforcement doesn’t know what the prosecutor needs in terms of evidence and documentation.”
Monasmith said gray interpretations of how the law will be applied by the prosecutor can be very hard on law enforcement morale.
“In that situation, it is easy to see how law enforcement can get discouraged because despite all their hard work, a case will be dealt out,” he said, referring to the prosecutor’s option to plea bargain a case instead of sending it to a jury trial.

Experience

Monasmith recently stepped down as Stevens County Superior Court Commissioner in order to run for the prosecutor’s office. He has been a lawyer in Washington State since 1984.  Monasmith was appointed Superior Court Commissioner in 2007 and was designated to rule on cases involving family law and juvenile offenders.
Prior  to his appointment in Superior Court, he worked as the attorney for the City of Chewelah for 18 years and as the attorney for the City of Kettle Falls for eight years.
Monasmith said his many years in Stevens County, coupled with the wide variety of legal work required of a small town lawyer, make him well qualified to serve as prosecuting attorney.
“I’ve lived in Stevens County for most of my life, and my wife and I have made our home and raised our family here,”  Monasmith said.  “I care deeply about the quality of life we enjoy in Stevens County.
“Citizens need to feel confident that the prosecutor’s office is working hand in hand with law enforcement to make community safety a priority and to hold criminals accountable. They deserve a working prosecutor who demonstrates a commitment to public safety every day. It is demoralizing to law enforcement when the prosecutor’s office won’t charge or otherwise aggressively pursue criminal cases.
“Stevens County taxpayers deserve better,” he added.
Although Monasmith has opted to run as a Democrat in a largely conservative county, he said upholding the law is a task that both parties can agree on.
“This election is about public safety and holding criminals accountable,” he said. “These are issues that my Republican friends and I agree on without hesitation. I have met with law enforcement heads, victim’s advocacy groups and ordinary citizens throughout the county, and they all agree it is time for a shift in priorities at the prosecutors office.”