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Tony Ross announces his run for county judge at the Top of the 80’s Restaurant in Sugarloaf Township Thursday evening.
Aimee dilger/the times leader
SUGARLOAF TWP. – Civil defense attorney and former Luzerne County assistant district attorney Tony Ross on Thursday announced his candidacy for county judge.
Ross, 39, of Fairview Township, said this year’s election is of “critical importance,” as it will “shape our direction going forward” with the empanelling of two-thirds of the bench.
“We are all too familiar with our painful past. Even tonight … I make this announcement against the backdrop of a corruption trial,” said Ross, referring to the federal trial of ex-county Judge Mark Ciavarella.
Ross said Judge Thomas Burke started changes to improve the court system.
“But this election will empanel judges that must be committed to this effort – committed to do better, committed to be better, committed to change. I am committed to this change,” he said, emphasizing he was “not political” and was never a solicitor.
Born and raised in Wilkes-Barre’s East End, he said he learned “honesty, respect, compassion and a very strong work ethic” from his parents. He graduated from Bishop Hoban High School in Wilkes-Barre, attended Villanova University, and accepted an internship with the Philadelphia DA’s Office his senior year, graduated from law school at Duquesne University and took a job at a law firm in Pittsburgh.
He then worked for now Judge Dave Lupas, then a new DA, and was an assistant district attorney from 2002-04, specializing in sexual abuse crimes involving children. His work as an assistant DA and his six years of litigation experience with his current employer, Marshall, Dennehy, Warner, Coleman & Goggin in Scranton “gives me perspective. I’ve become seasoned in not only criminal, but civil work.” This year’s election presented him the opportunity “to return to the work I love – public service,” Ross said.