Restoring Integrity to the Office:
I will restore ethics and integrity to the Office of the Attorney General by never putting myself in a compromising position that would cause the Office to become vulnerable to criticisms of bias or unfair judgment. I would utilize and returned the seasoned, well-respected public servants that served under the leadership of Jeff Sessions and Bill Pryor.
There is nothing more important than the trust we as citizens place in our government and our elected officials. Alabamians deserve honesty and integrity in Montgomery. I promise that I will never embarrass Alabama but rather provide strong moral leadership. If elected, I promise to serve you with honesty and integrity – that’s the most important promise I can make.
Alabama Values:
I will always uphold traditional Alabama Family values.
I am committed to using the full extent of the Office to protect the unborn, our freedom of worship, our right to pray in our public institutions, and defend the sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman.
Law Enforcement:
I will repair the weakened relationships between the State Attorney General and Alabama’s District Attorneys.
Our law enforcement personnel and district attorneys are doing yeomen’s work across this state. They are working each and every day to protect Alabama’s children and families and to prosecute those who break our laws. The Attorney General should be the strongest ally and supporter of these dedicated public servants, but for several years this has not been the case. I am proud to have earned the support of police chiefs, sheriffs, and district attorneys across Alabama. I will partner with the law enforcement professionals and district attorneys across our state and work with them to reduce crime and prosecute offenders to the full extent of the law. I will use the full weight of the Attorney General’s office, if elected, to press for the increased funding for crime prevention and law enforcement that is so desperately needed.
Public Corruption:
I will face corruption head-on and work to pass enabling legislation to confront corruption wherever it is found. I would never allow myself to be put in a position of having to recuse the Office from prosecuting a public corruption case because of ties to the scandal.
Public corruption has too often tarnished the image of Alabama. As the ongoing two-year college system investigations demonstrate, public officials, both elected and unelected, have abused the public trust. Our state faces the most important public corruption scandal in decades – I am willing and able to face this corruption head on. Seeking special treatment, asking for special favors, double dipping, pay to play, and other abuses by public officials destroy the public’s confidence in our government and destroy the morale of our hard-working civil servants.
Illegal Immigration:
I will fight to equip our state and local officials with all available tools to combat illegal immigration.
While the Federal government continues to intrude and encroach in matters it has no concern, it is derelict in some of its most important responsibilities such as protecting our borders. The Federal government has failed in its duty to enforce the nation’s immigration laws. Due to this failure, states, including Alabama, face the burden of dealing with illegal immigrants. Alabama must reclaim its police powers to protect the public welfare by enforcing its existing laws and enacting tough new laws addressing illegal aliens, Mexican drug cartels and human trafficking. I will fight to equip our state and local officials with the tools and resources they need to effectively enforce our immigration laws, through programs such as 287(g). Businesses should be using the E-Verify system. I will work closely with my friend Sen. Jeff Sessions in his efforts to strengthen states’ abilities and powers to deal with illegal immigration and above all stop amnesty for those who entered this country illegally.
Second Amendment Rights:
I will aggressively work to defeat legislation at the state or national level that infringes on our rights to keep and bear arms.
Alabamians hold a special place in their hearts for the 2nd Amendment. I, along with thousands of other people in our state, am a long-time and proud member of the National Rifle Association. Guaranteeing the citizenry the constitutional right to keep and bear arms was important to the founders of our nation – and it is of great importance to me. I pledge to protect our 2nd Amendment right by working to defeat legislation that infringes on the right of law-abiding citizens to keep and bear arms.
Job Creation:
I will lead the Attorney General’s office in a manner that minimizes the burden on our State’s businesses and our economy.
I will support a favorable environment for starting and growing business in Alabama. I will fight to streamline regulations, cut red tape, and prevent tax increases. I will support new laws and enforce existing laws that bring new businesses and new jobs to Alabama and that encourage expansion and job creation among existing businesses. I will fight to protect our right to work law and oppose schemes to eliminate the secret ballot in union elections, and I will promote good schools that help draw businesses to our state. While protecting Alabama’s consumers is paramount, I will lead the Attorney General’s office in a manner minimizes the burden on our State’s businesses and our economy.
Tort Reform:
I will continue the fight for tort reform.
It is vital that we continue to make Alabama a welcoming place to do business. For too long, Alabama was known as “Tort Hell.” Thanks to the work of Bill Pryor, Jeff Sessions, Perry Hooper and Republicans across this state; we have made great strides in overcoming this negative perception. I will work to streamline litigation, restrain punitive damages, limit non-economic damages and end lawsuit abuse. I was troubled to read in the American Tort Reform Association report, Judicial Hellholes 2008/2009, that Montgomery and Macon counties have been moved from the ATRA “Watch List” to full-fledged Judicial Hellholes. The ATRA had this to say about Alabama:
Controversial Alliance Among Trial Lawyers and the State AG
In suing pharmaceutical companies on behalf of the state to achieve large verdicts, Alabama Attorney General Troy King has, like some other state attorneys general, formed an alliance with private personal injury attorneys. Despite assurances that these contracts would be subject to transparency and public accountability, King has been slow to move toward these measures. While contracts are subject to review by a legislative committee, the committee can only temporarily delay contracts, not stop them. As a result, the tax-paying public remains largely in the dark as to how fees are determined and how many of their hard-earned dollars will go to trial lawyers. Attorney General King’s association with Montgomery trial lawyer Jere Beasley, in particular, has drawn considerable media attention. King has outsourced litigation against pharmaceutical companies to Beasley, who has sought large awards that some observers suggest have not been entirely in the public interest. For example, Beasley has sought $800 million in punitive damages in a case when the court found that no punitive recovery was warranted.”
As Alabama’s Attorney General I promise to enforce the law fairly and without prejudice while supporting new laws and enforcing existing laws that will ensure that Alabama’s economy continues to create and attract good jobs for its people.
Fight Federal Encroachment:
I will use the power of the Attorney General’s Office to fight federal encroachment on our rights and property.
As the chief litigator and law enforcement officer for Alabama, it is my duty to say no to Washington as they continue to meddle in our local affairs. Whether defending our schools, property rights, or basic freedoms, I will say “no” to a Federal Government that has used one small clause in the Constitution to takeover every aspect of our lives and leave our children and unborn citizens hopelessly in debt.
Illegal Gambling:
I will marshal the full force of the Attorney General’s office to end illegal gambling operations in Alabama.
As our current Attorney General has looked away, Illegal gambling operations have spread like wildfire across Alabama in the last few years. I promise to work closely with our state and local law enforcement officials as well as local elected officials to ensure that the laws of Alabama are being followed and where I find illegal operations I will shut them down.
The War Against Drugs:
I will support local law enforcement in their continued war against drugs infiltrating our homes, neighborhoods, schools and communities.
Whether its meth, crack-cocaine, or prescription pills, drug abuse continues to invade our homes, our neighborhoods and our schools. I applaud the Alabama District Attorneys Association for its “Zero Meth” campaign. It is going to take all of us working together to eradicate drugs from our communities. It also takes innovative and varied approaches, from drug prevention education in our schools to early intervention for at-risk teens, to swift prosecution and punishment for dealers and producers. I will partner with the law enforcement community who is on the front lines of our war on drugs and will support their efforts for increased funding for education, investigation and enforcement.
Consumer Protection:
I will equip our citizens with the information and tools necessary to protect themselves from those that seek to defraud them.
One of the most important jobs of the Attorney General is the protection of Alabama’s consumers. I promise to keep our citizens aware of common scams that can rob them of their identity. Consumers also need to know their rights under Alabama law. Public education will be a key focus of my work as Attorney General. Consumer protection is a two-fold mission– empowering and equipping individuals with the information and tools to protect themselves on the front end, and then prosecuting those who defraud them on the back end.
Cyberspace Safety:
I will diligently pursue old and new tools of prevention and prosecution to protect our citizens at home, at school, and in neighborhoods.
I will fight to protect our children from Internet predators and fraudsters and will fight against other forms of Internet fraud and abuse. The Internet has also become a dangerous place for adults, as well. Identity theft, securities scams and phishing have become all too common occurrences. The freedom and access that the Internet gives us also creates ample opportunities for fraud and serious crimes. I will aggressively pursue those who use the Internet to defraud and abuse our citizens, young and old.
Honest Elections:
I will rigorously prosecute voter fraud and pursue anti-voter fraud legislative initiatives.
The foundation of our democracy is free and honest elections. Voter fraud, whether through fraudulent voter registrations or Election Day shenanigans, deprives our citizens the right to free and fair elections. I will work with local communities to aggressively investigate allegations of voter fraud and prosecute those found to have compromised the integrity of elections in our state. In addition, I will work with the Secretary of State in her effort to ensure that our military men and women serving overseas are able to exercise their right to vote.