To the editor:
I don’t buy Paul Caccaviello’s contention that his write-in campaign is in response to the clamor of those who were unable to vote in the primary. And I don’t buy the argument that those voters were a numerically significant group that has been denied a voice in choosing our next district attorney.
The vast majority of Berkshire voters are either registered Democrats or unaffiliated. All of them were eligible to vote in the primary. Those voters came to the polls in September and voted overwhelmingly for a DA who would bring about change in that office. When two-thirds of them voted for either Andrea Harrington or for Judith Knight — both of whom argued about the need for criminal justice reform — the voters were clearly showing that they repudiated the status quo as represented by the current office holder and his predecessor.
By mounting a write-in campaign, Mr. Caccaviello has said, in effect, that he is not willing to abide by the decision of the voters. He has also, in effect, said that he refuses to live up to his tacit pledge as an enrolled Democrat to give up his pursuit of elected office following his defeat in the party’s primary, and to refrain from running against the Democratic nominee.
The fact that Mr. Caccaviello has dropped his party affiliation and can now mount a write-in is the equivalent of “getting off on a technicality.” It does not absolve him of the duty to stand for something beyond his own advancement.
Mr. Caccaviello is fickle about his political allegiance at a time when unwavering devotion to one’s principles is what is called for. Only one of our two major parties stands for the rule of law. He acts as if he is unaware of that fact, despite his role as a DA who is, above all, sworn to uphold the law. So Mr. Caccaviello dons and then sheds his political identity as it suits his purposes. He calls that being “practical.” A more apt description would be “opportunistic.”
Given his chameleon politics, it should come as no surprise that Mr. Caccaviello has now gotten the endorsement of local Republicans. He and his supporters have no qualms about allying with the representatives of the party of Trump and Diehl. They calculate that it boosts Mr. Caccaviello’s chances of election. Unfortunately for the rest of us, if this unholy alliance becomes the vehicle for his victory, it will embolden Republicans and provide them with a toehold in the local political landscape. It will also give him and them a mutual interest in perpetuating the discredited practices of the past.
Don’t let this happen.
Vote for Andrea Harrington and the entire Democratic ticket on November 6th.
Frank Farkas
Pittsfield
