Election Guide: Two Vie For District Attorney Post

Two long-time attorneys will be battling on the ballot for the position of Washington County District Attorney in the Nov. 8 general election. Here's what you need to know about the candidates:

Gene Vittone (R)

A lifelong resident of Washington County, Vittone graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a bachelor's degree in biological sciences. He also earned his masters degrees in business administration and health administration from Pitt.

Vittone has worked as an EMT-Paramedic and eventually became director of Ambulance and Chair Service in Washington County. He then graduated cum laude from Duquesne University law school. Vittone has been an assistant district attorney in Washington County for more than a decade.

Professional Affiliations:

Washington County Bar Association
Temple University Institute on Protective Services (instructor)
International Association of Financial Crime Investigators

Priorities if Elected

"I want to expand outreach on our senior-crime unit and communication with the
officers (on all cases) because we need to know how effective the programs are.
We need our (digital docket) system getting used to the fullest extent. I want to start scanning and going paperless as much as possible.

"We spend too much time looking through files. (Current District Attorney) Steve Toprani started doing some of that, but it needs to continue and progress.

"Number one to the county’s safety though, is drugs. Thirty years ago we hardly had any drug cases—just pick up a paper and see what’s there today. Cracking down on the pills and the hard drugs is a priority.

"The societal costs are too great. I want to meet with pharmaceutical companies and medical organizations to let both ends know, as well as our legal teams, how to best tackle this problem. I will personally review every felony drug case. Being hands-on is what I’ve been doing for the past 12 years.

"We need to make sure we’re assisting the municipal police departments. I have an MBA—a business background, so I know how to plan for things. We need to talk to the departments to see if they need tech expertise or additional undercover agents."

Accomplishments, Points of Service

"In my personal life, I try to be a good father and community member. I have two children. I’m active in church choir, with Bentleyville Baseball, and I’m involved with the Boy Scouts of America.

Washington County was one of the first counties in the country to initiate the standardization of an automated external defibrillator program. I helped standardize and put that into place in 1990.

I helped initiate Drug Treatment Court here in the county. And that’s always been a priority and a perspective of mine dealing with EMT services.

Dave DiCarlo (D)

DiCarlo has practiced law and prosecuted criminals in Washington County since 1992, starting out as an assistant district attorney and now has his own firm.

He has participated in more than 40 jury trials and thousands of non-jury trials,
including winning a case before the Pennsylvania State Supreme Court. DiCarlo graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, and later graduated from the Pittsburgh School of Law.

Professional Affiliations

Secretary and member, Washington County Bar Association
Member, Pennsylvania Conference of Community Bar Leaders
Member, University of Pennsylvania Secondary School Committee
Member, Pennsylvania Society
Adjunct Professor of law and evidence, Waynesburg University

Priorities if Elected

"My priority is to make Washington County a safer place to live. Right now, heroin
and the abuse of prescription drugs are among the top problems in Washington
County.

"I’ve had police officers tell me that 90 percent of the crimes they investigate are drug related—even worse, we’ve had a high number of drug-related deaths. In August, our coroner told me that he had four overdoses in two weeks. It has to stop.

"(The Washington County) Drug Task Force will assist local police officers as well as run independent investigations. The detectives will be certified to work with electronic surveillance equipment and I will be available at any time to authorize an investigation.

"I will change how our cases are handled in court. We are losing cases in the county because they are backlogged and not being called to trial on time. This practice must stop. With cooperation of our judges, I will initiate a calendar system to monitor any time issues and ensure that a case is not dismissed because of a scheduling error.

"I will assign assistant district attorneys to specific magisterial districts. They will
work closely with the police in the investigation and prosecution of cases, and they will continue to be involved with the case when it reaches the courthouse. I will not tolerate a case ‘falling through the cracks.’

"I will monitor how cases are pled out. In 2010, we had more than 2,500 new
criminal cases filed—only nine went to jury trial and even (fewer) were heard by a judge. I will track these cases to make sure justice is served.

"Finally, I will restore fiscal responsibility to the office. I will stop wasteful spending and increase revenue through forfeitures of seized property."

Accomplishments, Points of Service

"Personally, I’m most proud of the non-profit entity Race with Grammy that I founded with my mother, Bev. We raise money to benefit children with autism by
racing in half-marathons across the U.S. We started it because of my nephew, Aidan, who has autism. So far, we’ve raised almost $20,000.

"Professionally, I’m proud of the endorsements I’ve received since I announced
my candidacy for district attorney. I’ve received endorsements from the Pennsylvania State Troopers Association and the Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge 47.

"I’m also proud of a case I won before our Supreme Court that allowed a child in
foster care to be adopted by his aunt and uncle. I felt the child should not be in foster care, but the existing law did not grant his aunt and uncle standing in the custody case. The Supreme Court agreed with me, and it changed the law in Pennsylvania.

"Over the years, I’ve been the guardian of more than 100 children. I’m honored the court trusted me with them and their cases."