Thursday, May 6, 2010

Conservative AG Candidate Andrew Thomas Defends Constitutionality of Prayer Day


PHOENIX, ARIZONA. MAY 6, 2010.  On National Prayer Day itself, former Maricopa County Attorney and Arizona Attorney Generalcandidate Andrew Thomas announced that he is prepared to further defend the constitutionality of Prayer Day after a recent federal-court ruling deemed the 58-year tradition unconstitutional. 
“I think it is ludicrous to argue that the government can no longer enact laws supporting a day of prayer,” Thomas said.  “Religion and prayer are a very personal thing that each individual should be allowed to choose to participate or not participate in.” 
According to the group’s website, National Day of Prayer is a day where individuals are encouraged to recognize the need for repentance and prayer and to also mobilize the Christian community to intercede for America and its leadership.
An Arizona Republic article http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2010/05/04/20100504arizona-day-of-prayer.html detailed places where citizens can go to participate in National Prayer Day.  People can attend Christian prayer sessions at municipal buildings in Phoenix, Gilbert and Queen Creek as well as outside of the state Capitol.
Thomas has been endorsed by Mohave County Attorney Matthew Smith, Mohave County Sheriff Tom Sheahan, Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu, Cochise County Sheriff Larry Dever and Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio.  He has also been endorsed by Arizona Right to Life.
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 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.  Or for more information about Andrew Thomas, please go to  www.ThomasforArizona.com.



PAID FOR BY THOMAS FOR AG

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