Lately, local media have reported on a statement issued by the Cache County Attorney.  The statement implied that my campaign positions "are prejudicial to the administration of justice and serve only to undermine public trust in the Cache County criminal justice system."  If candidate Dane Murray wants to criticize my political stances, he should do so directly and be willing to engage in a public debate (which should include the other candidate, J. Brett Chambers).  In the

At a time when this office has faced uncertainty and instability, leadership must be grounded in more than personality or politics. It must be rooted in principles that guide every decision — principles that uphold the rule of law, ensure accountability, and promote excellence.

The County Attorney does NOT have the power, authority, nor duty to prosecute. Cache County Code section 2.16.010(C)(3) states: “The County Attorney shall be the civil counsel for the County and shall perform each civil counsel duty as provided by the Act.” (emphases added). Deputy County Attorneys have no more authority than the County Attorney. Therefore, the Deputy County Attorneys are NOT prosecutors. Let that sink in. What a mess! How did we get here? Noon on Janu

Being conservative, I believe stability in government matters. In Federalist Paper No. 73, Alexander Hamilton mentioned, “the mischiefs of that inconstancy and mutability in the laws which form the greatest blemish in the character and genius of our governments.” As with laws, so with leadership.  James Madison wrote about this topic in Federalist Paper 62: “The mutability in the public councils arising from a succession of new members, however qualified they may be, points

There's a wide spectrum of campaign promises. On one end is a specific kind of promise where someone says "When I'm in office, I'm going to do this thing and I'm going to do it this way, and I'm going to do it at this time." On the other end of the spectrum are promises that are so vague as to be incomprehensible. You get the feeling that the candidate is trying to wiggle out of any real commitment. A candidate can't predict what specific issues they will face once they are i

Reference to Cache County Code: https://cachecounty.municipalcodeonline.com/book?type=ordinances#name=CHAPTER_2.16_OFFICE_OF_COUNTY_ATTORNEY The date of the meeting when the Council adopted Ordinance 2023-18 was May 9, 2023.  The discussion and vote went from the 1:33:50 mark to the 1:56:40 mark in this YouTube recording of the council meeting .  Attorney Dane Murray addressed the Council as did Lyle Hillyard. The minutes can be read in the following PDF. The swearing in of T

My name is Chris Daines and I am launching my campaign for Cache County Attorney. I have practiced law in the trenches for more than four decades, over thirty years of which have been right here in Cache County. For the last 15 years straight, I have been leading the law firm of Daines, Thomas & Smith, LLP. During the last five years, five different lawyers have occupied the position of County Attorney. This is abnormal for what should be a four-year term. This position i

Over the course of my 44-year career, I have been licensed to practice law in 3 state court systems, and before 6 federal trial and appellate courts. I currently lead the law firm of Daines, Thomas & Smith, LLP with 5 attorneys and 5 support staff, and have done so continuously for the past 15 years.  Legal  education in our nation's capital during the 1970s and subsequent decades of legal experience have infused me with deep commitment to constitutional principles and firm d