My name is James V. Simoni of Johnson & Simoni. This law firm has quietly served this community from the late 1800s to the present. Protecting our republic requires speaking up at this time.
Gilroy residents should not be fooled. The present characterization of the legal proceedings against a presidential candidate as a political witch hunt are wrong. Our country was founded on the principle that it would be a nation run by law, not men. Laws are passed by legislative vote, not flat or press bites. The legal system has built in protections against such political interference. Prosecutors have discretion to charge legal violations. None of the present prosecutions against the ex-president are the result of a prosecutor’s discretion. The present prosecutions are the result of a prosecutor going to a body of citizens (people like you and me) and asking those citizens if they feel a law has been violated. These citizens are called a grand jury. All the grand juries consulted have decided that the case deserves prosecution. It is the candidates’ respect for the law that should guide our votes.
A republic like ours requires dialogue, finding common ground, building on common ground and compromise not outrageous behavior, name calling, defending some “…ism” or brinkmanship. We must look for a candidate, not a dictator from the left side or the right side of the political spectrum. This year’s recent budget process was evidence of our republic at work. Cooler heads from the Democratic and Republican parties gained enough votes to pass by a majority a bipartisan budget. The extremes were left by the wayside. We do not need a saint but a candidate that admires and will encourage and respect the laws that support this voluntary process.
Please keep this in mind as we enter this critical upcoming election season. May good luck and God bless and guide us as we go through this process.
James V. Simoni
Johnson & Simoni
If you don’t think that the prosecutor controls the direction of the Grand Jury, you must not be much of a lawyer.
Having served on civil and criminal grand juries, I agree with you. Evidence is presented, witnesses are heard and the jury makes a recommendation. No one is above the law.
Hi Juliana Jones, I hate to disagree with you, but I must. Too many people are definitely above the law. All the corporations considered too big to fail are above the law because their primary bosses are too rich to jail. There are 3 politicians that took home government papers running around free. We would be in jail instantly for such attacks against US law. George Bush and Dick Cheney are obvious war criminals yet they suffer no consequences. Police murder unarmed civilians constantly and get away with it. Some are above the law. Trump was above the law while president under some ridiculous note someone scribbled on a piece of paper one day and no one would challenge. Sorry, but I had to disagree.