Scott Andreassi (submitted photo)
by Jonathan Weaver
Armstrong County District Attorney Scott Andreassi yesterday announced his candidacy for Judge of the Common Pleas.
Andreassi, who is in his fifth term of office, was sworn into office in January 1998 after the retirement of George Kepple – whom he worked with as a public defender – and said he has been pondering the judgeship since then-President Judge Kenneth Valasek’s retirement announcement in September.
“I have truly loved being the district attorney – loved the work and the people I work with. They are some of the finest people I’ve ever met,” Andreassi said. “But, I felt it was time for me to work in a different arena.
“I believe that as judge I can make a difference in the lives of those that appear in front of the court.”
As a district attorney, Andreassi said he values justice and the responsibility of his decisions rather than the number of convictions. Under his direction, Andreassi said his office has handled nearly 20,000 criminal cases and has successfully prosecuted five straight first-degree murder cases.
Andreassi has made tackling the heroin and drug epidemic a top priority- helping to form the Armstrong County Drug Task Force and the Armstrong Narcotics Enforcement Team (ARMNET), a group he founded and has lead since 2003.
“If elected, I would continue to be involved in drug programs and spreading the message to our youth about the evils of drugs,” Andreassi said. “I would continue to speak as much as I am able to and allowed to as a judge. I believe I can make more of a difference on the bench than I would as a district attorney.”
As well as already co-founding the Community Awareness Day Program, the Drugs Kill Dreams Jail Experience and development of “The Children’s Advocacy Center at Kay’s Cottage” – a safe facility that opened in September for children and families who have been subject to abuse, - Andreassi hopes to establish a mental health court.
“What we’re finding today – especially in our police departments – is that a significant number of criminal events have their foundation in mental health issues. We need to deal better with those issues and deal better with those defendants so that we don’t see them coming back time and time again,” Andreassi said.
A Sugarcreek Township resident, Andreassi is a father of five children, a member of multiple community organizations and received community awards for his volunteer work and service.
In his campaign notice, Andreassi was commended and endorse by County Republican Committee Chairman Michael Baker and retired Sheriff Larry Crawford.
Self-described as a conservative Democrat, Andreassi intends to cross-file for both the Republican and Democratic nominations in the May 16 Primary Election.