Lujan makes campaign stops in Kingman, BHC
 
By JIM SECKLER
Mohave Daily News
 
KINGMAN — An Arizona representative was in Kingman and Bullhead City on Thursday campaigning to be the next state Attorney General.

David Lujan has been a state Representative from District 15 since 2004. He also worked four years for then-Arizona Attorney General Janet Napolitano. He prosecuted identity theft, foreclosure and mortgage fraud and consumer fraud targeting seniors.

Lujan said as the state’s highest level prosecutor he would enforce the recently passed immigration law but said the law is not the solution. He would focus on going after drug cartels, money laundering rings and other criminal syndicates. The law also would discourage witnesses from coming forward to help law enforcement in fighting crime.

He said he would ask the federal government to step up in securing the border.

He also is an attorney with the Defenders of Children, a nonprofit organization that protects children from child abuse. The organization had an office in Mohave County’s building in Colorado City.

"The issues of Colorado City are issues I am very familiar with," he said.

Lujan said he proposed a bill that would include children under the age of 18 in an incest law that currently only applies to adults. Prosecutors had to drop incest charges last year against Warren Jeffs because the current law does not apply to children. He said Republican legislators have done nothing to help pass his law. He also said Jeffs’ defense attorneys have dragged Jeffs’ criminal case out for more than two years to wear down the victims.

Lujan also criticized a lawsuit supported by Gov. Jan Brewer against the health care reform bill passed by Congress. He said it is a waste of taxpayers’ money. He said the governor may use more expensive outside attorneys, costing the state even more money.

He also opposes Brewer’s plan to eliminate the Arizona Department of Commerce, saying the department helps bring tourism dollars to the state. He said Brewer does not have a backup plan. He also criticized Brewer’s plan to sell state buildings and lease the buildings back with interest. The state will end up paying more for the buildings in the long run.

Lujan also lambasted Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio and former Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas for being more interested in headlines and the politics of birthers and bigots than caring about average citizens. He said that Brewer and Republican legislators are more interested in giving tax breaks to large corporations and the wealthy.

"There are too many politicians who give a voice to the rich, corrupt and greedy," Lujan said. "I’ll be the voice of the people."

One example he gave was that out-of-state corporations owe the state $450 million in delinquent taxes, which the state cannot collect because budget cuts forced layoffs in the Arizona Department of Revenue. With a fraction of that money, the department could hire more tax collectors to collect the money, which could then go to schools and other needed services.

Lujan also said there is partisan politics when the budget for Attorney General Terry Goddard’s office is cut but Arizona Treasurer Dean Marin’s budget stays the same and Brewer and Arizona Secretary of State Ken Bennett’s budgets increased.

"It’s an absolute falsehood that the Republican Party is a party of fiscal responsibility," Lujan said.

Lujan once sued a Laughlin casino on behalf of several employees who were fired for trying to form a union. The workers got their jobs back.

He will meet fellow Democrats Vince Rabago and Felecia Rotellini in the Democrat primary in August. Thomas and Arizona School Superintendent Tom Horne are running in the Republican primary.
 
MohaveDailyNews.com
Originally published Friday, June 11, 2010
 
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