Reporting as Senate preparation Investigative work is great training for office, hopeful says

By Andrea Kelly Arizona Daily Star - Tucson, Arizona

Former investigative journalist John Dougherty says his years of digging up facts and records to cover stories about government and corruption have prepared him to be Arizona's next U.S. senator. In a speech Monday at a Democrats of Greater Tucson luncheon, Dougherty said his work uncovering the Keating Five scandal; former Gov. Fife Symington's real estate troubles, which later led to his resignation; sexual-abuse allegations against Warren Jeffs at his polygamist community; and Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio's alleged abuses of power were "fantastic training to move into the Senate." Dougherty is one of four Dem-ocrats seeking the Aug. 24 primary nomination to face the Republican nominee in November. He said he will use facts to hold the government accountable, just as he did as a journalist. Among the issues he said he cares most about: Getting big industry interests out of lawmaking, from better regulating many industries to rewriting campaign finance laws to mirror Arizona's Clean Elections laws. Reducing the federal deficit, the "most important issue facing the country right now," including Defense Department spending. Federal immigration reform including a path to citizenship that is not a free pass, but which allows people who have been working in America to pay fines, learn English and become documented. Requiring renewable energy and eliminating subsidies for oil and other industries. Dougherty said one of the ways to tackle immigration issues is to take a different approach on drugs. "We need to move beyond prohibition," he said. If we legalize, regulate and tax drugs, starting with marijuana, drug cartels will no longer have the fuel for their organized crimes, he said. The tax revenues could be used to reduce federal or state deficits and to fund addiction-treatment and drug-awareness programs. He said an initiative on the California ballot to allow adults to possess, cultivate, share or transport marijuana for personal use and that regulates the commercial production and sale of marijuana is the right response to the problem. Prohibition didn't work with alcohol and it's not working with drugs, he said, noting that his proposal is limited to marijuana. The public isn't ready to relax prohibitions on other drugs, he said. "I think this is the best way to control it while knocking the wind out of the cartels' sails," he said. One person from the audience asked how a freshman senator could have much impact on the federal government. "The most important thing is to get rid of John McCain," Dougherty said, which brought applause. Then Dougherty said he would bring "broad interests" to the table because of his experience with many of Arizona's problems. "None of these candidates can say that. None of them have any idea where to start," he said. Dougherty will face lawyer and labor organizer Randy Parraz, former state legislator and current ASU administrator Cathy Eden and former Tucson City Councilman Rodney Glassman in the primary. Contact reporter Andrea Kelly at akelly@azstarnet.com or 807-7790

azstarnet.com Originally published Tuesday, June 29, 2010

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