Arizona Daily Star endorses Felecia Rotellini for Attorney General

The editors of the Arizona Daily Star today endorsed Democrat Felecia Rotellini for Attorney General, to succeed the poster boy for political corruption in Arizona, Tom “banned for life by the SEC” Horne. Rotellini is going to have her work cut out for her to restore the Attorney General’s office to what it was before Tom Horne darkened its hallways.Endorsement: Rotellini for attorney general:

The attorney general serves as Arizona’s chief legal officer and oversees the largest “law office” in the state with more than 300 attorneys among 1,080 employees.

Our current attorney general has made headlines, and not the kind that inspire confidence. The Citizens Clean Elections Commission found Tom Horne used state employee time and office rent valued at more than $300,000 in his unsuccessful bid to get re-elected. He’s been the subject of an FBI investigation and brought in the Christian-based Alliance Defending Freedom to defend the state’s ban on gay marriage.

The office is in dire need of a credibility makeover.

The Star believes Democrat Felecia Rotellini is the candidate to bring integrity back to the Attorney General’s Office and ensure it is representing state agencies, going after money laundering and drug cartels and protecting residents from consumer fraud.

Her credentials are strong. Rotellini has worked in the civil and criminal divisions of the state Attorney General’s Office. During her 13 years there, Republican Grant Woods and Democrats Janet Napolitano and Terry Goddard were her bosses.

Perhaps her most noted work began in 1999, when she led the case against accounting firm Arthur Andersen in conjunction with its representation of the Baptist Foundation of Arizona. That case resulted in a $217 million settlement for investors.

Restoring credibility inside the AG’s office and outside with the people of Arizona is a priority for Rotellini, who is a Notre Dame Law School graduate. Rotellini says she will focus on prosecuting criminals and protecting Arizona consumers.
Other key priorities for her are:

• Recruiting strong lawyers and putting them through a solid training program, something she says the office does not now have.
• Examining the budget to put “more boots on the ground and less money in the executive office.” For example, she wants to increase the number of special agents and forensic CPAs to address financial fraud.
• Aggressively prosecuting sex traffickers as well as securing heavy sentences to curb racketeering, especially as it relates to border security.

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Rotellini earns our endorsement because she has extensive experience in the AG’s Office and is positioned to restore honor and credibility to the position of attorney general.