Bethany Harrison

     While I am a member of the Republican Party, the Commonwealth’s Attorney must diligently and effectively serve all of Lynchburg.

 

     Justice does not have a party affiliation. My office aggressively fights for justice on behalf of each and every citizen of Lynchburg, regardless of their race, religion or party affiliation. I believe that the protections enshrined in the Constitution and the law should apply to and benefit everyone equally without exception. The Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office is not a political office. Your Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office is a dedicated collection of professionals working every day to keep the people of Lynchburg safe, stand up for victims of crime and fight for the justice every citizen of Lynchburg deserves.

 

     While I fight for everyone in Lynchburg no matter their political values, my own values will always shape who I am and how I act.

 

     I am a lifelong conservative. I have worked in my personal and professional life to help advance conservative values. I am proud to instill those values in my two young boys. I am a member of the Lynchburg Republican City Committee and I am proud to represent my party.

 

     For a further understaning of  my values, you can read more below.

 

       1. My First Principles

​

     The Constitution of the United States of America is without argument the greatest governing document the world has ever known.  The unprecedented idea that the state belongs to the people, not the other way around, changed history.

     As your Commonwealth’s Attorney I always remember it is you, the citizen of Lynchburg, who I work for and my employees understand it ultimately is you, not me, who is their boss.

     The protections enshrined in the Constitution must be zealously guarded and jealously protected.  This includes the protections afforded to the accused and the criminal defendant.  My office will always maintain the highest levels of integrity and professionalism because violating the Constitutional rights of any defendant is an insult to the document and to the ideals we as Americans hold dear.

     Our system of limited government, individual freedom and personal liberties provided the framework for America to become the most vibrant prosperous nation the world has ever seen.  We must always work to ensure these freedoms are there for future generations.  Respect for our institutions, our systems of justice and the rule of law is critical to ensure that these future generations are not led astray by the false narratives of those who would seek to undermine our liberty.

     A populace which feels unsafe will be more inclined to trade freedoms for security.  We must not allow that to happen.  We will work to ensure that the citizens of Lynchburg feel safe in their community and secure in their enjoyment of the freedoms we hold dear.

 

​

     2. The 2nd Amendment

​

     As a gun owner I am a staunch advocate for responsible, legal ownership of firearms.  As your Commonwealth’s Attorney I  vigorously prosecute gun crimes and violent criminals who use guns to commit their offenses.  Every time a gun is illegally used by a criminal it undermines the 2nd Amendment rights of our law abiding citizens.  This is because the illegal gun use is twisted by those who oppose our 2nd Amendment liberties and used to advance arguments to curtail the rights of law abiding citizens.  The criminals already disregard the law.  Law abiding gun owners should not be punished; the criminals should.  As your Commonwealth’s Attorney, I stand up for your 2nd Amendment rights by aggressively standing up to those who illegally use firearms.

​

     3. Family Values

​

     It has been said that “success has many fathers but failure is an orphan”.  Unfortunately the failure of a life of drug abuse, crime and hopelessness frequently sees one root cause: broken families.  My parents divorced when I was young and I was raised by my single mother.  Thankfully my father was always involved in my life and always provided me love and support.  For many children, one or both parents are absent.  Sometimes, the parent is not physically absent but they are emotionally and morally absent.

     Common sense and the statistics bear out an obvious truth: children raised in a loving atmosphere in a two parent household have by far the best chance of success and the best chance of avoiding the criminal justice system.  We must always encourage strong families.  My first work in my professional career was on behalf of the Family Foundation of Virginia.  However, for those families which simply cannot stay together, we must work with local nonprofits, religious organizations and other civic institutions to provide the support, training and services when we can to ensure none of our next generation slips through the cracks.

     We must also work to break the cycle of domestic violence and ensure that our children are not raised in circumstances where violence are treated as a normal part of everyday life. These children will be much more inclined to seek a sense of belonging among criminal influences and gangs and be more likely to do violence themselves.

​

     4. Fiscal Responsibility

​

     I understand completely that every dime spent by the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office comes from your pocket. Every sheet of printer paper we use and every post-it note stuck on a file was bought with your money.  In both prosperous and lean times my philosophy as your Commonwealth’s Attorney will never change.  I will always work to be the best steward of your dollars of any member of your government and intentional waste of assets will not be tolerated.