Hello Fellow Democrats,

Earlier this evening, we had an extremely successful forum for the Philadelphia District Attorney candidates. Professor Stephanos Bibas did a fantastic job moderating, and the candidates highlighted local issues that are important opportunities for Penn Democrats to get involved. We look forward to events such as these in the future.

As a result of this forum we have decided to endorse a District Attorney candidate in the Philadelphia Primary and will be having an endorsement meeting Tuesday 2/17 in Huntsman Hall 370 at 7PM to decide. It will take a 2/3rd majority to endorse a candidate, so we will only endorse if there is significant interest towards one candidate among the general body. Those who attended the District Attorney forum will have a greater knowledge of the candidates, but for those who did not, campaign surrogates will give brief presentations. There will be a representative from each of the campaigns at the meeting and we hope to have some great discussion and to have a candidate endorsed by the Penn Democrats by the end of the night.

This is a great opportunity for PennDems to increase its presence in the community and to make a significant impact on a local race. Our goal and purpose in this race is to help the candidate who we endorse.

Biographies for each candidate:

Seth Williams is a counsel in Stradley Ronon’s Litigation Practice Group and focuses on general litigation matters involving governmental relations, nonprofit and religious organizations, securities enforcement, corporate compliance, internal investigations and white collar crime. Mr. Williams has extensive trial experience, including more than 15,00 bench trials and 2,500 felony preliminary hearing. He has also served as inspector general for the City of Philadelphia, assistant district attorney for the Philadelphia DA’s Office, and chief of the repeat offenders unit. In 2005 District Attorney election, Mr. Williams was narrowly defeated by a margin of 55%-45% by the 14 year incumbent, Lynn Abraham. Mr. Williams also currently serves as an adjunct professor the Neumann College in their Master’s Program and Strategic Leadership and at Penn State Abington, where he teachers a criminal justice course. Williams attended from Penn State University and graduated with distinction from the Georgetown University Law Center.

Michael Turner is a senior attorney at Marshall, Dennehey, Warner, Coleman & Goggin, LLP. Throughout his 26 years of litigation experience, he has tried an excess of 200 jury trials. Mr. Turner bean his law career in the Philadelphia DA’s office, where he served as an Assistant DA for 5 years, after which he joined the civil litigation firm of Krusen, Evans and Byrne in Philadelphia. After trying numerous asbestos-related cases, he co-founded the firm of Kelley Jasons & Spinelli, where he focused on the preparation and trial of complex personal injury, products, liability, and criminal cases and oversaw budget and personnel decisions as managing partner. Turner graduated Magna Cum Laude from Virginia State University and from the University of Virginia Law School.

Dan McElhatton began his legal career as a judicial law clerk for the Honorable Joseph J. McGlynn Jr. of the United States District Court for the Eastern district of Pennsylvania. From 1975 to 1978 Dan served as an assistant district attorney for the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office, where he tried approximately 100 jury trials and numerous appeals in both the Superior and Supreme Courts of Pennsylvania. His public Service continued as a member of Philadelphia City Council from 1992 to 1996. Dan was also a part time faculty member at Community College of Philadelphia, later joining CCP’s Board of Directors. Mr. McElhatton graduated from Villanova University and from Temple University School of Law.

Dan McCaffery served as Assistant District Attorney for Philadelphia from 1991-1996. As a member of Habitual Offenders Unit, he brought hardened juvenile criminals to trial on adult charges. In the Major Trials Unit, he prosecuted major felony cases, including gun-point robbery, shootings, arson and drug crimes. After leaving the District Attorney’s office, Dan continued his public service working pro bono as counsel to many charitable and civic organizations throughout Philadelphia. Upon graduating high school, Mr. McCaffery served in the Army and joined the First Calvary Division, America’s First Team. He served for two years with distinction, and was one of a small handful of active duty soldiers selected for West Point. He attended Temple University, assisted by the Army College Fund, and then Temple Law School where he aspired to continue his public service as an Assistant District Attorney.

Brian Grady is currently in private practice specializing in criminal and civil law. He served as Assistant District Attorney in Philadelphia from 1993-1998, where he prosecuted Richard Wise of the Center City Jogger murder case and secured convictions against cop-killer Daniel Colon and against Frederick Thomas, aka the Fed-Ex Murderer Mr. Grady graduated from La Salle University with a B.A. in Economics and from the University of Notre Dame Law School.

There will also be an overview of past events and future events that the Penn Democrats will be involved in.

Just to summarize:

What: Penn Democrats Endorsement/General Body Meeting
When: Tuesday 2/17 @ 7:00PM
Where: JMHH 370