Essex County DA declares candidacy for county judge seat

Jan. 23—ELIZABETHTOWN — Essex County District Attorney Kristy Sprague has announced her candidacy for Essex County Judge this November.

Current Judge Richard Meyer will reach the mandatory retirement age of 70 this year, creating a vacancy at the position on Dec. 31 and the need for this election.

Sprague, standing in front of the County Courthouse for her announcement Monday, said the prospective position is the "next, natural progression for a district attorney."

"It is the next step after one has secured experience, knowledge and expertise in the very court they seek."

Sprague, 52, feels she has accomplished that.

CAREER

She began her prosecutor career in 1998, and was promoted in 2001 as the Clinton County Chief Assistant District Attorney. In that role, Sprague participated in the training of law enforcement officers from the tri-county area by teaching courses at the local police academy.

Sprague was then elected district attorney of Essex County in 2009. Since then, she has familiarized herself with all aspects of the courtroom, successfully prosecuting double homicides, rapes, child sexual abuse cases, assaults, DWIs, drug offenses, animal cruelty crimes and many other felony/misdemeanor offenses.

Sprague also touted her history with firearms cases. She said her experience and education on the everchanging laws and regulations will be valuable if she is elected judge and entrusted to process pistol permit applications.

"I have been an advocate for many in the highest county level court for over 25 years. Fourteen years I've been your district attorney and the courtroom has become like a second home," Sprague told the crowd full of her family, friends and Essex County Board of Supervisor colleagues.

"Every day, I'm tasked with making tough decisions that can affect many people and affect their futures dramatically. I've had decades of being a leader and being the person who makes the final call on matters of great importance. I have never taken this responsibility lightly; it takes a great deal of composure, patience, humility and fairness to make responsible and just decisions. I believe my years of decision making experience is just what is needed to be a judge that could be fair, just, reasonable and impartial."

Sprague is running on the Republican and Conservative line and will be pitted against Lake Placid Democrat Amy Quinn, who is currently serving as the principal court attorney under Judge Meyer.

Sprague said she's running to ensure voters have the choice of a "proven candidate."

"I am a doer," she said.

"My record is there for all to view. I have earned every position I've had through hard work, being elected and proving my abilities through action. I do not expect to be handed this position and certainly, do not feel I am entitled to it."

COMPASSION

During her announcement, Sprague also stressed the importance of electing a judge that has compassion for all parties involved.

She said her personal and professional experiences will allow her to be that kind of judge.

"I have learned over the years that saying you understand what a person is going through and actually understanding it are two very different things. and when you truly understand what that person is feeling, you appreciate how important your words, your actions and your treatment need to be," she said.

"This authenticity came to me in a way I do not wish it on anyone. When my brother was killed, I sat in the very courtroom right over there — that I advocate and seek justice for others in — but not as a prosecutor, as a crime victim. and I truly developed this understanding. I felt all the hurt and the loss that many people are forced to suffer, in such a public way. That experience has provided me with an appreciation to have more empathy, compassion and mindfulness for everyone in and out of the courtroom."

If elected as Essex County judge, which is a 10-year term, Sprague would handle surrogate, family court and county court matters; all of which she has plenty of experience in, she said.

Sprague secured federal and state grant funding and established the North Country's first Child Advocacy Center — CTRAK (Community Team Responding and Advocating for Kids). This Center continues to operate under the Clinton County DA's office and services child sexual abuse victims in both Essex and Clinton Counties.

"I have, my entire career, been an advocate for children," Sprague said.

"Again, a proven track record of helping children who have been victims of some of the most heinous crimes. I don't sit on the sidelines and observe others advocating for justice. I am a hands-on prosecutor who cares deeply about the welfare of these children, and I will continue to do so as judge."

As district attorney, Sprague also established Essex County's first Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) that handles child sexual abuse investigations and established Essex County's first DWI Victim Impact Panel.

Additionally, Sprague co-chairs ECHO (Essex County Heroin and Other Prevention Coalition), which is a multi-agency task force united to combat the abuse of heroin, opioids and other illegal drugs.

"I am that lawyer who sits with children on my office floor coloring pictures or painting nails to establish the trust a young child needs to allow us to help them," she said.

"I am the lawyer who presents evidence to grand juries and trial juries and has been a very successful litigant in the courtroom; I am the lawyer who has made it her life's work to become not good at what I do, but great at what I do by building teams across agencies and disciplines to advocate for all that need our voice."

TIMING

Sprague is in the middle of her term as district attorney and if elected judge, the governor could possibly appoint someone to fill the vacancy at that position until the next election.

"That's all up to the other powers that be," she told the media after her announcement. "But if I didn't win, then I would still run again for re-election. So like I said, the timing for me is perfect."

Sprague was raised in the Town of Moriah and graduated from Moriah Central School in 1990. She currently lives in Moriah with her husband Steve Trow and children Hayden and Jayde.

At this point in her life, she said, running for judge became an option she didn't have previously.

"It just works," she said.

"My kids are in college (now), and that was important for me to make sure I was there with them, because we did a lot of traveling with basketball and I coached and did all the fun stuff and I just didn't want to give that up ... so now they're older and were like 'Mom, you got this, let's go.' So I said all right, we're going."

Whether Sprague or Quinn wins the election in November, one of them will make history by being the first woman to hold the seat.

This fact is not lost on Sprague, who said she has always worked in a male-dominated environment.

"The first female being elected to this position is huge," she said.

Email: cnewton@pressrepublican.com

Twitter: CarlySNewton