To the Editor:
I am writing to encourage you to vote for Andrea Harrington in the Democratic primary for Senate on Thursday, September 8.
I have known Andrea for about ten years when I was asked to serve as her mentor on her first criminal appellate cases. I worked closely with her on those cases, and I saw, first hand, how devoted she was to her clients. All of these clients are indigent, in trouble with the law, and many have no experience or understanding of criminal procedure or criminal law. Andrea’s commitment to people with few resources and with tremendous needs was so admirable. She fought tirelessly for their constitutional rights in every single case.
Representing people – regardless of social status, income, or advantage – is exactly what a Senator does. Like a public defender who speaks for those without a voice, a Senator advocates for the needs of those in her district. Like an attorney for those who require social services or mental health placements or foster care, a Senator must know where resources are available and how to implement programs if resources are lacking. Andrea Harrington has spent every day of her career doing exactly that.
In addition, during the years when I was Andrea’s mentor, I observed her keen intellect, her understanding of the law, and her deep appreciation for the constitutional principles upon which our codes of law are founded. Andrea’s legal training and experience have taught her to parse a statute to understand its meaning and to look to its legislative history for an appreciation of the statute’s significance. That is exactly what legislators do. Andrea has the perfect background, training, and intelligence to excel at the job of legislating.
In short, there is no other Democratic candidate for Senate with Andrea Harrington’s upbringing, credentials, compassion, and commitment.
Janet Hetherwick Pumphrey
Lenox
