Sunday, October 19, 2008

The Magidson Editorial

District Attorney Ken Magidson provided an editorial piece to the Chronicle in today's Sunday Edition, which outlines the positive changes made in the D.A.'s Office during his short tenure.

One of the things that Magidson doesn't list, but I wish he would, is the leadership job he has provided to those he has supervised. This year, without question, has been the most tumultuous year the Office has ever experienced, and Ken has provided cool leadership in the Storm. For those of us that were initially concerned about him as an "Outsider" taking over the Office, he won us over in about the period of two weeks.

He saw us through both Hurricane Ike and Hurricane Chuck.

Whoever wins the D.A.'s race has got some really big shoes to fill.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think he should be written in on the ballot for DA.
Not that he'd want it.....
But what a breath of fresh air for the office.

Tom said...

Ken isn't really an outsider. He was a fine assistant DA for years before he went to the U.S. Attorney's office. His job there is to coordinate anti-drug efforts of numerous agencies.
That means he has to get a lot of people with different agendas to work together.
He's an island of calm in a stormy sea. He was the right man to calm things for the new DA.

Anonymous said...

Personally, I am writing him in...he has been tremendous to the office. The exact kind of guy I had always hoped to work for and I doubt anyone will be able to fill his shoes.

Anonymous said...

Let's not kid ourselves, he did a fine job but he inherited an office that had ONE problem. That problem was gone. All you needed to be was level headed and that is it.

Murray Newman said...

Tom,
You are right. He isn't an outsider because of his past history, but he probably seemed a little bit like one to those who had started after his time.

Anon 9:32,
I disagree with your assessment. Maybe his leadership skills were amplified in the face of Chuck's lack of skills, but Magidson has been a good leader. He has made an effort to congratulate prosecutors and staff alike whenever they have had a good verdict, or gotten a letter of thanks. He has continuously emphasized that winning or losing isn't the goal, but doing the right thing is. He's been with the prosecutors in the early morning hours on the Monday after Hurricane Ike and has provided a steady hand of leadership throughout.
I wouldn't underemphasize his importance, because it has been great.

Episode Seven: The Voters Awaken - A One Act -Sci-Fi Play

SCENE:  The Death Star orbits over Downtown Houston. [INTERIOR] The Imperial Council Chambers. EMPRESS OGG sits at the head of a long table ...