Name: Craig Williams
Date, place of birth: 8/26/1964, New Jersey
Campaign Website: WilliamsforStateAttorney.com
Occupation: Assistant State Attorney
Education:
Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.), Florida International University
Juris Doctor (JD), Nova University School of Law, 1993
Work history, past 15 years, starting with the most recent.
2018 to Present:
Chief Assistant State Attorney, part of the Executive Leadership Team and responsible for the Felony Trial, Organized Crime, Traffic Homicide, Intake, White Collar, Mental Health units, as well as Gun Club (which includes First Appearance, Drug Court, and Veteran’s Court), and the Belle Glade satellite office. I supervise 45 felony prosecutors.
2013 to 2018:
Assistant State Attorney responsible for the Felony Trial Unit
2010 to 2012:
Criminal defense attorney, Craig A Williams, PA.
Why are you running for this office, and what makes you the best candidate?
After 27 years as a prosecutor in the State Attorney’s Office, I am running to make this the best run State Attorney’s Office anywhere. My co-workers (almost the entire SAO) also played a role in my decision. Many pleaded with me to run. They feared the alternative options. And none of us wanted to see our county become crime-ridden like so many other large jurisdictions around the country.
Of all the candidates, I have the most experience as a prosecutor and leader in the SAO. I’ve been a prosecutor in Palm Beach County for 27 years. I’ve tried more than 500 jury trials.
When I took over the felony trial unit in 2013, it was dead last of all 20 Judicial Circuits in Florida for convictions. Under my leadership, in a short period of time, I brought us up to number three in the state with a 95 percent conviction rate and we are currently just one percent from the number one spot.
Ask anyone in our criminal justice system, whether they are prosecutors, public defenders, criminal defense attorneys, judges, bailiffs, or clerks, and they will tell you that while I’m tough, I am fair and I treat everyone with respect.
Have you ever been arrested, charged or convicted of a crime, received a withheld of adjudication or had a matter sealed or expunged? If yes, explain.
Yes, in 1983, when I was 18 years old, I was arrested, charged, and pled guilty to DUI. I was sentenced to probation with many conditions, and I completed my probation. It was a terrifying experience for a shy, inexperienced 18-year-old to navigate on his own. There was no public defender or a parent to guide me. The experience gave me a unique perspective of what defendants in our criminal justice system face. It taught me as a prosecutor to be kind and fair to all, even defendants.
Have you ever been a plaintiff or defendant in a civil action, including bankruptcy or foreclosure or had a restraining order issued against you? If so, explain.
I don’t recall details, but I remember 2 civil cases. I had to sue a landlord around 35 years ago because they failed to return our security deposit. I was also involved in a car accident around 13 years ago and I was a defendant and represented by my insurance company.
Elected state attorneys in Tampa and Orlando were suspended from office by Gov. Ron DeSantis based on prosecutorial discretion. Do you agree that he has the power to overrule local prosecutors’ discretion? Explain.
While I do not agree that the Governor should be using his “discretion” this way, the courts have upheld his right to do so. Each circuit in Florida has different needs and wants from their citizens and these suspensions take the power away from the voters who elected these prosecutors.
Salaries for assistant state attorneys remain low despite recent raises and turnover averages 20 percent. How would you address chronic turnover?
I started as a prosecutor in 1993 making $23,000 per year. Prosecutors in Florida have always been underpaid because our legislature still believes passionate public servants will do this work for very low pay. I plan to lobby to increase salaries for prosecutors in Florida. However, I believe most would still do this job for the low pay if they are treated appropriately and appreciated by their supervisors and their State Attorney. It is critically important to respect, support and motivate your prosecutors every day so they enjoy their work and their work environment. That is another reason why I am running for this position, so Palm Beach County doesn’t end up with a mass exodus of good prosecutors and support staff, which would leave our community in a public safety crisis. If the State Attorney is not respected and doesn’t treat his or her staff well, they will all leave for better opportunities.
Was the 2020 presidential election conducted freely and fairly? Explain.
Absolutely. Joe Biden won more votes than Donald Trump in battleground states that put him past the 270 electoral votes needed to win the presidency. There is no evidence that any voting system deleted or lost votes, changed votes or was in any way compromised.
