The following is Watershed Voice’s candidate questionnaire for August’s St. Joseph County prosecuting attorney primary election. We will run all completed questionnaires in the order they’re received prior to Election Day.
John McDonough filled out our questionnaire. These are his answers.
Editor’s note: The formatting and content of this questionnaire are presented as they were submitted. John McDonough is one of three candidates including challenger Deborah Davis and incumbent David Marvin.
Name: John McDonough
Age: 44
Address: Three Rivers
Party affiliation: Republican
Are you an incumbent? No
Family: Married with two kids
Background/Bio:
My name is John McDonough I am a life long St. Joseph County resident, I graduated from Three Rivers High School in 1998, The University of Michigan in 2002 with a degree in Political Science, and received my law degree from Thomas M Cooley Law School in 2005. I passed the bar exam in 2005 and immediately began working in the St Joseph County Prosecutor’s Office, serving as the elected prosecutor from January 1, 2009 until December 31, 2020. I love watching all sports, especially when my kids are playing in the games. This is why I have missed some of the parades this summer, I’ve been out of town watching them play baseball and softball, missing their games is something I would never give up as family is number one to me. Playing golf (not very well anymore) is also something I love to do, on the rare occasion that we have a free weekend, my wife and I enjoy teeing it up at one of our county’s amazing courses. I have also loved coaching my kiddos and their friends in the many different sports they have played over the years.
What inspired you to run for St. Joseph County Prosecuting Attorney?
I chose to run for prosecutor because serving my community is something that is extremely important to me. Growing up with a mother who inspired so many children as a teacher for over 30 years in the Three Rivers Community Schools and a father who served two terms as mayor of Three Rivers, Supervisor of Fabius Township, and was a member of many boards and committees at the local, state, and federal levels, ingrained into me the value and importance of giving back to the community you are a part of.
Have you previously held public office, or have you served in a public leadership role? If so, what is your experience, and what are some of your accomplishments?
I am currently a member of the Three Rivers school board and have previously served 3 terms as the Joseph County Prosecutor. As prosecutor I successfully prosecuted some of the most difficult and most publicized cases the county has ever seen, convicted dozens of sexual predators, was a one of the leaders in starting the county’s sobriety court, adult drug treatment court, swift and sure program, I served the interests of thousands of victims over the years, and was a member of many county boards and committees.
How long have you lived in the area you are seeking to represent?
I have lived in the County my entire life except for the 7 years I was attending college at Michigan and Cooley Law School.
In your opinion, what are the three most important issues to the area relative to the scope of your position, and why?
- Continue to be innovative in the way our community treats those with addictions of all kind and those with mental health issues.
- Protect those who are most vulnerable, victims of abuse of all kinds, child sexual abuse, child abuse of other kinds, elder abuse of all kinds, and cruelty to animals.
- Make the prosecutor’s office as open and accessible to the public as possible by restoring the open door policy that was in place when I lead the office, reestablishing the amazing relationship I had with our law enforcement community, and bringing back the family environment in the prosecutor’s that kept the office fully staffed and a positive place to work.
What measures will you pursue to address those issues?
- I work with the judges, sheriff, chief’s of police, and other community leaders and law enforcement officials to stay on the cutting edge with treatment programs and law enforcement policies that keep our community safe but also attempting to rehabilitate those offenders who qualify for and want to become positive, sober, and productive members of our community.
- Be strong and hold those who commit these offenses accountable with tough penalties but understand that listening to victims and respecting their opinions is also very important, revictimization is something that should be avoided when possible. Also, ensure that thorough investigation is done by law enforcement so cases are as strong as possible. Support and sponsor training for law enforcement and all others that work with these victimized groups to ensure everyone knows how to not only investigate these cases of abuse but also how to work together and use each other as resources to give these victims the most support the community can give them.
- Answered above
What would you say is your leadership style, and how will you utilize its strengths in your position?
I would compare my leadership style to that of a head football coach where the major decisions are made and certainly I take responsibility for the big convictions and the cases in which someone is not happy with the result of a case, the buck stops with me, however I let my assistants make decisions in cases that they are assigned and I stand by their decisions, I love throwing ideas by my staff to get a number of opinions to make sure I have different perspectives to look at when I make decisions, and welcome questions from all of my assistants. I am definitely not a micromanager and see all of my staff as integral parts of our team. I hire people that I trust can handle the work they are given.
How would you work to regain or maintain the public’s trust in the office of prosecuting attorney?
Editor’s Note: McDonough did not answer this question.
Do you consider yourself a candidate with high personal integrity? If so, why?
Yes, integrity is something that you must possess to be an effective leader and prosecutor, and I think a key point of integrity is admitting when you’re wrong or have made a mistake and taking responsibility for that mistake and ensure something like that never happens again, I have made many mistakes some big and some small and have learned from each one of them. Another part of integrity is making the correct decision even if it is not the popular one, this is something that arises frequently when you are prosecutor.
How would your administration as a prosecuting attorney differ from previous administrations?
My administration would be different because I would go back to the way I ran the office, fully staffed, positive environment where people aren’t afraid to be themselves and share their opinions, the doors would be open, I would be accessible to other attorneys, law enforcement officers, and the citizens and so would my staff. I would attend events throughout the county and encourage people to communicate issues they may see both positive and negative.
How will you know that you’re accurately representing your community?
Knowing if I’m accurately representing my community is simple, encourage feedback from colleagues, the courts, law enforcement officers, and the public, and celebrate the positive and make changes when they are needed.
Is there anything else your prospective constituents should know about you, your platform, your views, or your background?
The last four years have been a time to humbly take a look at my life and make changes so that the terrible mistake I made doesn’t happen again. I’ve realized that being our county prosecutor was the best job in the world and it something I took for granted and will never do that again. You will not find a person who loves representing our county more than I do, I am the best candidate for the job and have more experience than both of my opponents combined, I would love your vote on August 6th.
