The race for Madera County District Attorney is likely to be one of the more interesting local contests in 2018. It pits incumbent DA David Linn against challenger and current Fresno County prosecutor Sally Moreno. The race took on a new tone in late 2017 after allegations surfaced that Linn had made racist and sexist remarks on the job. Those allegations, which Linn denies, led to an investigation by an outside law firm at the request of the Board of Supervisors, which also voted unanimously to censure Linn and to ask for his resignation. Linn has countered those claims saying the charges are politically motivated and the result of his investigation into allegations of corruption among the board.
With those issues at hand, we spoke with Moreno, in one of her first in-depth media interviews. Moreno, a longtime Madera County resident was formerly a prosecutor in the Madera DA's office. She tells Valley Public Radio she was not surprised by the allegations, and says the office needs a new direction. She also addresses the #MeToo movement, and recent changes to California's criminal justice laws.