Calling Nancy King an ally in the fight to crack down on gang violence, Montgomery County State’s Attorney John J. McCarthy today endorsed her campaign.

“Time and again, Nancy King has stood with us in the fight to make communities safer by giving prosecutors better tools to combat gang violence,” said State’s Attorney McCarthy. “She has supported tough new laws to prosecute gang members, while helping to protect state funding for successful gang awareness and intervention programs.”

In 2007, then-Delegate King co-sponsored the Maryland Gang Prosecution Act (HB 713), which prohibited participation in a criminal gang or in a crime committed for the benefit of, at the direction of, or in association with a gang. In 2010, Senator King voted to strengthen Maryland’s gang statute and to increase prison sentences for gang-related crimes (SB 517). In 2010, Senator King also voted for the Safe Schools Act, designed to crack down on gang activity in schools by strengthening communication between law enforcement and school officials (HB 1160).

“People in the neighborhoods I serve are worried about the proliferation of gang activity in Montgomery County, and they expect state officials to work with local law enforcement to solve the problem,” said Senator King. “We are fortunate to have a State’s Attorney who has taken a comprehensive approach to gang violence. Working together, we are making a difference for people who are concerned about protecting our quality of life and keeping our streets safe.”

Senator King has been endorsed by many of her colleagues in government and several leading advocacy groups, including Governor Martin O’Malley, Montgomery County Executive Isaiah Leggett, the Montgomery County Education Association, and SEIU Maryland / DC State Council. She represents District 39, which includes all or parts of the Montgomery County communities of Montgomery Village, Hadley Farms, Washington Grove, Flower Hill, Germantown, North Potomac, Darnestown, and Derwood.