Monday, April 26, 2010

Thomas Faults 4 Democrat AG Opponents For Opposing SB1070; Pledges Aggressive Defense In Court

Former Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas ONLY Attorney General Candidate Supporting Senate Bill 1070; Pledging Aggressive Defense Of Law


PHOENIX, ARIZONA April 26, 2010. There are five candidates for Arizona Attorney General but only one supports SB 1070, helped author it and will enthusiastically defend it in court.

"I am effectively running against four Democrats. The Republican in name only, Tom Horne, does not support this bill and it would be disingenuous for him to suggest he does while simultaneously advocating amnesty and citizenship for illegal immigrants," Thomas said. 

"SB 1070 will be fiercely challenged in the courts. It is imperative for Arizona to have an Attorney General that actually supports enforcingimmigration law," he said. 

Previously, Tom Horne proposed his own plan to give amnesty and citizenship to illegal immigrants. The East Valley Tribune reported on February 14, 2007 that Horne has a “plan” to grant American citizenship to illegal immigrants who meet certain educational requirements.  Similar positions for the other three liberals in the race are well documented.

“Tom Horne's amnesty plan for illegal immigrants is a slap in the face to law abiding people around the world who have applied for visas and waited in line to immigrate to America legally,” Thomas said.  

“Many families have sacrificed and been patient in their plans to immigrate to America so that they could do so the right way, procuring a visa and entering legally.” 

During Thomas' time in office, crime rates plummeted.  The 19 percent drop is more than twice the national rate of decline, in despite of an 11 percent increase in the county's population during that time.  The illegal immigrant population has dropped by anywhere from 18 percent (Dept. of Homeland Security estimate) to 30 percent (Center for Immigration Studies estimate). Like the fall in crime rates, this dramatic decline in illegal immigration is far greater than the average in the rest of the nation. 
 
Thomas has a track record of successfully defending illegal immigration crackdowns in our courts, including his successful efforts to prosecute illegal immigrants for conspiring to violate the state's human-smuggling law and to defend Prop 200's voter ID requirements and the employer-sanctions law, which he defended along with the Attorney General's Office.

If elected Attorney General Thomas has pledged to expand that office's prosecutions of illegal immigrants under the state's human smuggling laws. The office is not currently pursuing such prosecutions.
  
Thomas’ office successfully prosecuted the Baseline Killer and Serial Shooting suspects.  During his tenure he has pushed for harsher penalties against child predators and, more recently, launched an innovative program to restore Gila River habitat and pursue charges against environmental pollution there. 
 
Thomas is married with four children.  He is a graduate of Harvard Law School.  Prior to serving as Maricopa County Attorney, Thomas served as an assistant attorney general for Arizona, deputy counsel and criminal justice policy advisor to the Governor, special assistant to the Director of the Arizona Department of Corrections, and a deputy county attorney.   
 
To schedule an interview please contact Jason Rose.  For more information about Andrew Thomas, please gotowww.ThomasforArizona.com. 
 


PAID FOR BY THOMAS FOR AG

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