Rockland Candidate Profile: Diederich For District Attorney

ROCKLAND COUNTY, NY — Rockland has many contested races in this fall's election, including for district attorney. Patch asked candidates in the contested races to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as election day draws near.

Mike Diederich, Jr., is running to become Rockland County DA on the independent "Serve Rockland" line, Row I on the ballot. His opponents are Thomas Walsh on the Democrat, Republican and Conservative lines, and Ken Zebrowski on the Working Families line.

Diederich, the father of three grown children, is in private law practice. He is a retired US Army Judge Advocate General officer (with active duty in Germany, Iraq and Afghanistan).

Elected or appointed positions he has held include Assistant County Attorney, Rockland County; Planning Board member, Stony Point; Chairman of Rockland County Environmental Management Council.

Are you running for office in Rockland County? Contact Lanning Taliaferro at lanning.taliaferro@patch.com for information on being featured in a candidate's profile and submitting campaign announcements to Patch.

Previously on Patch: Rockland Candidate Profile: Vivian Street For County Legislature

The single most pressing issue facing our community, and what I intend to do about it:

Public corruption resulting in a panoply of problems including, especially in Ramapo, disregard for housing and fire codes, disregard for the NYS Education Law (hurting public and private school children), and systemic abuse of welfare and Medicaid entitlement programs, all of which I intend to address if elected DA.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidate seeking this post?

My opponent has never prosecuted or defended a criminal case, and yet has been chosen (by the political elites and special interests?) to be on the Democratic AND Republican AND Conservative lines on the ballot.

I have prosecuted and defended criminal cases; I have tried and appealed civil cases, in representing people in employment law and civil rights cases; I have fought for taxpayers; I have 3 times influenced the US Supreme Court; and I have served in the military in Iraq and Afghanistan (where I was awarded the Bronze Star Medal) after which I retired in the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform:

I have grass-roots support as an independent candidate. My opponent won the Democratic primary by receiving the ultra-Orthodox "Bloc vote." He is a life-long Democrat, and yet is also on the Republican and Conservative lines. It appears that he is beholden to many interests.
I am beholden to no political or special interests. As DA, I will be independent of political or other special interests. And I will seek to protect the interests of ALL of Rockland's residents.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

Retired as a lieutenant colonel in the US Army Judge Advocate General's Corps; prosecuted and defended criminal cases; and litigated cases at the trial and appellate levels in both federal and state courts. Influenced the US Supreme Court in 3 different cases (two of which were advocacy in favor of taxpayers and the public interest).

The best advice ever shared with me was ...

Always act with integrity.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I am running because Rockland County is like the ship Titanic, heading toward icebergs (corruption, non-transparency, development issues, children's education, welfare abuse, RLUIPA lawsuits) and I, as an experienced employment law/civil rights lawyer, a retired military officer and a believer in our American Constitution, have the vision and the skill to help steer our ship Titanic to safer waters.

SEE ALSO: Rockland Candidate Profile: Walsh For District Attorney