Submitted by the Oakhurst Democratic Club
MADERA COUNTY – The Oakhurst Democratic Club will host a debate between Madera County District Attorney candidates Michael Keitz, David Linn and Miranda Neal on Friday, Feb. 28, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Oakhurst Community Center, moderated by Peter Cavanaugh.
Mr. Keitz, currently completing his first full term in office as District Attorney, has announced a bid for re-election.
Keitz was born at Forbes Air Force Base in Topeka, Kansas. As the son of a career pilot in the United States Air Force, he lived in Michigan, Louisiana and England before his family settled in Salinas, California.
He graduated from Palma High School in Salinas, California, and from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science.
Working days as a banker and volunteering as a reserve deputy, Michael attended law school in the evening at the San Joaquin College of Law in Fresno, receiving his Juris Doctor degree in 1991. He entered the Madera County District Attorney’s Office in 1992. There, he served in various assignments including prosecution of narcotics, agricultural, and major crimes.
Keitz was initially appointed to fill an unexpired term, and took the oath of office as Madera County’s District Attorney on Jan. 5, 2009. He was thereafter elected to serve a four year term commencing in 2011.
David Linn, a resident of Oakhurst, has practiced law for the past 37 years and is currently the senior partner at the law firm of Linn Law Offices. He is licensed to practice in California and has also been admitted to the Bar by the United States Court of Appeals for the federal circuit, the United States Claims Court and the United States Supreme Court.
Linn was commissioned an Ensign in the United States Naval Reserve through Purdue Universities’ NROTC Program in 1970. He served in Vietnam. After leaving active duty in 1973, Linn continued his service in the Naval Reserve, and retired with the rank of Commander.
He is a former president of the Oakhurst Sierra Rotary Club, the Eastern Madera County Bar Association and the Eastern Madera County Chamber of Commerce. He was named Man of the Year by that organization in 1989.
Miranda Neal, a new entry in the race, has been a licensed attorney since 1991 and has been in her current position for the past eight years as a Madera County Deputy Counsel, much of which time being involved in prosecuting child abuse and neglect cases. Prior to joining the County Counsel’s office in 2006, Neal was a Deputy District Attorney in Fresno County.
Born in Westwood, Neal attended the University of California in Los Angeles, where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music. She went on to obtain a Masters Degree in Performance from the California Institute of the Arts. She entered Loyola Law School in 1989.
Ms. Neal has been married for 22 years to Glen Neal, a criminal defense attorney and adjunct professor at Fresno City College.
Peter Cavanaugh is a retired Broadcast Executive residing in Oakhurst and is a member of the Oakhurst Democratic Club’s Executive Committee. He is former President of the Flint Area Advertising Federation, former Chairman of the NBC Radio Network Affiliates and former Chairman of the National ABC Radio Networks Affiliates Board.
With litigation against the County, questions of mismanagement and an unsuccessful lawsuit brought by the Madera County Board of Supervisors for release of a county financed report, the Oakhurst Democratic Club is pleased to present Mr. Keitz with an opportunity to address these and other matters, as well as provide Mr. Linn and Ms. Neal with a chance to discuss their own qualifications and perspectives.
Format rules will be identical to those used in prior debates sponsored by The Oakhurst Democratic Club based on general guidelines from the League of Women Voters.
Accordingly, questions for the debate should be submitted in advance to the Oakhurst Democratic Club in care of mizzes12@yahoo.com.
For further information, please contact Ellie Schermerhorn at 559-658-2342 or Peter Cavanaugh at 559-641-6617.
