Primary Profile: D.A. Candidate Dan McElhatton

Democrat Dan McElhatton is one of five men running for District Attorney in Philadelphia. He was born in Germantown, raised in Juniata, and now lives in Center City. McElhatton was a member of Philadelphia City Council from 1992 to 1996, and now practices with his own law firm.

Democrat Dan McElhatton is one of five men running for District Attorney in Philadelphia. He was born in Germantown, raised in Juniata, and now lives in Center City. McElhatton was a member of Philadelphia City Council from 1992 to 1996, and now practices with his own law firm.

McElhatton says the death penalty is appropriate in the most heinous crimes, however he says the D.A. needs to show caution and deliberation.

McElhatton: I’ve committed to doing that and having a process in place even during the course of the trial so that if the District Attorney has made the original recommendation to seek the death penalty and something occurs during the trial to change that recommendation, that we do the right thing and the responsible thing and that is to maybe withdraw that death penalty request and have life imprisonment.

McElhatton says if elected, he will go after municipal corruption. He says only some municipal corruption cases necessitate the resources of the Federal Government because they cross jurisdictional lines.

McElhatton: Folks have to have confidence that we are the watchdogs for both violent crime and for those who violate the public trust.

McElhatton says the city and D.A.’s Office could benefit from heightened asset forfeiture, more aggressive grant writing, and the creative use of stimulus funds.