Steve Crump
Steve Crump, a Cleveland Republican, today announced his intention to seek election as district attorney general for the Tenth Judicial District. Monroe, McMinn, Bradley and Polk Counties form the Tenth Judicial District.
Steve Bebb announced earlier that he is not seeking re-election.
“It is time for a new direction in the criminal justice system and our local approach to prosecuting crime,” Mr. Crump said in announcing his candidacy. “We face significant challenges that must be met with resolve and determination. I believe that I am uniquely qualified and prepared to lead the Office of the District Attorney General in combating increasing crime and the scourges of methamphetamine and other drug crimes, gang activity and human trafficking. During my 20 years practicing law, I have served as a prosecutor, defense lawyer and as a special judge and this has given me the knowledge and experience to meet these challenges.”
He said accountability is at the core of his plans for changing the way business is done in criminal courts. “The whole purpose of the criminal justice system is to make people accountable for their actions. Criminals should understand that there are consequences to their crime and that someone stands ready to make them accountable. If the system fails to make people accountable, it has failed entirely. I will institute changes that will restore accountability throughout the district and the system. More importantly, we will be accountable to the people who pay our salaries. We will give the people of this district a method to judge our performance.”
Mr. Crump pointed to the need to live by standards as the method to insure accountability. “We won’t set goals. We will set standards. Goals are what you hope to be, standards are what you are. We will set standards for our performance and we will publish our results on a yearly basis. We will give the public a guide to our sentencing standards for their information and commentary and so that they can judge our consistency and equal application of the law.”
Mr. Crump stressed that his conservative philosophy would serve the people of the district well. “Government needs to act constitutionally. I believe in a relentless pursuit of the guilty, but I am just as committed to making sure that the government leaves law abiding citizens alone. I am proud of my service to the Republican Party. While the party does not always act conservatively, its platform is worthy of following. I was proud to serve as the Bradley County Republican Party Chairman and as a Republican member of the Bradley County Election Commission.”
A graduate of Bradley Central High School, Mr. Crump obtained a bachelor of arts degree in political science with honors from Carson-Newman University and a law degree from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. A lawyer since 1993, he has practiced law in Cleveland, his hometown, since 1994. Mr. Crump spent almost 10 years as an assistant district attorney. During his tenure as an assistant district attorney, he was a team leader for Bradley and Polk Counties and handled numerous complex cases, including several death penalty cases. He also has served as a special judge in General Sessions, Juvenile and Family Courts.
A leader in the community, Mr. Crump has served as the chairman of the board of trustees for SkyRidge Medical Center. He is a member of the Noonday Rotary Club and is a former member of the Sertoma Club. Mr. Crump is a member of the Cleveland, Athens and Etowah Chambers of Commerce and is a former board member of the Cleveland Chapter of Keep America Beautiful. An avid basketball fan, Mr. Crump served as a girls’ basketball coach for Cleveland Middle School for the last five years.
Mr. Crump is a member of First Baptist Church, where he serves as a deacon and on the personnel committee. He is also active in the music ministry. He has been married to his wife, Theresa for 20 years. They have two children, Sarah and Emily.
Mr. Crump said this election "is less about persons and more about a cause. While my name is on the ballot, I want the people of this district to vote for a better system; to vote for a cause and not a personality. My campaign is not about the last eight years. It’s about the next eight. We have a unique opportunity to reshape the system and make it more responsive to victims and law enforcement. We can set standards and live up to them. Most importantly, we can make accountability the hallmark of our criminal justice system. I hope you will join me in this effort. I ask for your prayers, your support and your vote on May 6th, 2014 in the Republican Primary.”