Prosecutor: J.D. Tomlinson faces challenge from former employee Tony Cillo for Lorain County prosecutor

Former Assistant Lorain County prosecutor Tony Cillo, a Republican, is challenging his former boss, incumbent J.D. Tomlinson, a Democrat, for the job of elected Lorain County prosecutor on Nov. 5. Voters will choose one of the men for a four-year term in office. Cillo has 30 years legal experience, mostly as an assistant prosecutor and assistant attorney general trying felony cases. Tomlinson was a criminal defense attorney in private practice before defeating former prosecutor Dennis Will in the 2020 Democratic primary. Tomlinson's first term in office, which started in 2021, has been embroiled in controversy over a $100,000 employment settlement he paid last year to his former employee and girlfriend Jennifer Battistelli. Tomlinson also is being sued in Common Pleas Court over his failure to produce public records related to the Battistelli settlement. He was charged last week with felony charges of intimidation, tampering with evidence and attempted bribery. *** Tony Cillo, 58 Party: Republican Education: law degree with honors, Case Western Reserve University School of Law, class of 1993; bachelor's degree with honors, Bowling Green State University, class of 1990; Avon Lake High School, class of 1984. Family: wife of 21 years, Debbie; step-son and daughter-in-law, two grandchildren. Job history: associate director, Lorain County Drug Task Force, 2023 to present; assistant attorney general, Special Prosecutions Unit, Ohio Attorney General's Office, 2022-2023; assistant prosecutor, and later Major Felony Division and Criminal Division chief, Lorain County Prosecutor's Office, 1995-2022; assistant law director, city of Avon Lake; attorney, Smith and Smith Law Offices; attorney in private practice. Web site: TonyCillo.com; Tony Cillo for Prosecutor on Facebook. *** J.D. Tomlinson, 43 Party: Democrat Education: law degree, Case Western Reserve University School of Law; bachelor's degree, Oberlin College; Firelands High School. Family: single; parents Marie and Daniel Tomlinson; brother Travis Job history: elected Lorain County Prosecutor, 2021 to present; defense attorney in private practice, 2007 to 2021. Web site: JDTomlinson.org; Re-Elect J.D. Tomlinson Lorain County Prosecutor on Facebook. *** What makes you the best candidate for the position? Cillo: I am the best candidate because I am a career prosecutor with the knowledge and experience to do the job.&ensp;There is no substitute for the knowledge and expertise that I possess when it comes to holding people accountable. Tomlinson: I have a vision for the Prosecutor's Office. It is my hope to build a Prosecutor's Office that will enjoy the reputation as the best firm of lawyers in the county. I intend to accomplish this goal by continuing the same hiring practices and management style that I have employed in the office since my election in 2020: Hire the best, pay them all we can afford, provide the best training and continuing legal education available, and build a rapport among staff that will lend itself to the team approach in providing service to county officers and agencies, and to the vigorous enforcement of our criminal statutes. What is the biggest challenge facing the Prosecutor's Office and how would you address it? Cillo:&ensp;The biggest challenge will be rebuilding the culture of the office. It is time to restore integrity and professionalism. This is not about political grandstanding or giving jobs to your friends. The current "leadership" pleads out cases and is being sidetracked by extracurricular shenanigans at the expense of the&ensp;taxpayers and our community safety.&ensp;&ensp;&ensp;&ensp; Tomlinson: The biggest challenge facing the Prosecutor's Office today is the increase in the volume of service we are required to provide to our county elected officials and agencies, and also the increase in the number of criminal prosecutions we must undertake. Equally sobering is the challenge we face in meeting the needs of Lorain Countians without increasing the size of our staff or the cost of obtaining its services. We do this with long hours, flexible scheduling, hiring capable personnel, and attitude. I have tried to encourage a management style that brings all of us closer to a shared stake in what we accomplish. --Dave O'Brien