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Caccaviello's Team Holds Final Standout as Election Day Approaches
By Andy McKeever, iBerkshires Staff
06:24AM / Saturday, November 03, 2018
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The supporters stayed until the sun went down Friday night.


Caccaviello supporters stand on every corner of the busy intersection.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Amanda Hamilton didn't personally know William Catalano but she knew the family.
 
She said she knows Catalano's father very well and refers to the Catalanos as family friends. Her father, Tim Hamilton, said the two families grew up together. Catalano was recently killed and they want justice.
 
They believe if Paul Caccaviello wins the district attorney race, justice will come. Caccaviello is currently seeking election as a write-in for district attorney and on Friday the Hamiltons introduced themselves and asked if they could hold a sign during a standout the campaign organized to rally support.
 
"Paul has the experience to get him the justice he needs whereas Andrea Harrington doesn't have the experience and personal knowledge of it. We just feel like Paul needs everyone's full support to get justice for the Catalano family," Amanda Hamilton said.
 
Caccaviello currently serves as the district attorney after being appointed to the job when former District Attorney David Capeless retired early to allow him to run as the incumbent. Caccaviello sought the Democratic nomination for the seat but was defeated by Harrington. But Caccaviello isn't going quietly into the night as he's rallied support for a write-in bid.
 
"After that primary, a lot of folks approached me to consider doing this. It is a family decision to do this and speaking to folks, we decided it is the right thing to do," Caccaviello said. "Since we made the decision those please consider turned to thank you for giving us an opportunity to vote."
 
The Hamiltons had supported Caccaviello in the primary and after the Catalano incident, they became more active in pushing for Caccaviello.
 
"People are concerned about what is going on around here. There are murders going on. Are you going to let somebody handle that case that has no experience?" Tim Hamilton said. "There is nothing that replaces experience in my eyes. There is no replacement for experience."
 
Caccaviello has placed an emphasis on his time in the office, comparing it to Harringtons. He boasts of more than 5,000 cases, convictions vicious criminals, and work in all levels of prosecuting.
 
"To me, it is a no-brainer. The guy has 30 years in the DA's office, 14 years as the first assistant, he's a good, honorable man. I think the county needs him. We need that strong prosecuting experience," Ward 7 Councilor Anthony Simonelli said. 
 
Bianca Chessa is a hairdresser and she's been talking to her clients all the time about the district attorney's race. On Friday her hands were holding up the other end of the sign Caccaviello was holding at the corner of West Housatonic Street and Center Street. 
 
"I feel like he is trustworthy and I like that he is running as a non-partisan candidate because that is what I think a DA should be," Chessa said.
 
Chessa said she got particularly active in politics because so few of her fellow millennials do. 
 

Caccaviello says he is happy with the amount of support he's gotten.
"Given the climate of things, it is really important for millennials to actually get out and have our faces seen. I'm trying to represent my demographic. I think young people really need to get out and make our voices heard, be seen in the community," she said.
 
She also has an addict in her family, so the criminal justice system, victim advocacy, and ensuring people in the justice system are being in the right place to get what they need hit close to home.
 
Voters head to the polls on Tuesday to make a decision. Friday's standout was the last one for the Caccaviello camp before election day, but it isn't the end of the work.
 
"We'll continue to work hard all weekend. You can't be complacent in that. We've got to continue to work hard, canvassing, calling, we'll be out and about," Caccaviello said.
 
Write-in campaigns are seldom successful but Caccaviello's isn't like most of the others. He already had a core group of supporters from his run in the primary and he's worked to expand his reach beyond those who vote in Democratic primaries.
 
"With this one, it is the enthusiasm and support from all walks of political life — Republicans, Democrats, unenrolled — that we're feeling a lot of and it is a good feeling," Caccaviello said.
 
For all of those at the standout, the biggest sticking point for them is his history in the office. 
 
"The DA's position is such an important position in the judicial system and you need somebody that's been there, done that, knows what to do. I think there are nine inmates at the county jail awaiting trial for murder ...  you need some experience and I just don't think Andrea bring it," Simonelli said. "She's nice. I've met her. I don't think there is anything wrong with her. But I just don't think she is the right fit for this position."
 
Simonelli believes Caccaviello sometimes get blames for things Capeless did or for crimes he couldn't have prevented. Simonelli says it he gets frustrated when he sees alleged violent criminals get let out on bail, but that's something that would have to change in the Legislature, not the district attorney's office.
 
"If you have a problem with Capeless, that's Capeless. This is a whole different guy. Just because you don't like something Capeless did, you can't hang it on Paul," Simonelli said.
 
He said some of the concepts proposed by Harrington are already being done. The former teacher remembers meeting with representatives from the district attorney's office often to discuss youth offenders and outreach programs. He said it is already being done.
 
As the days tick by, Caccaviello said he is feeling good as the race enters the final stretch.
 
"We're feeling good. We're feeling really good. The contact with voters and the energy not just in our campaign but when we go and meet people has been through the roof but you never want to take anything for granted," he said.
 
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