Ron Barber is a former Congressman from Southern Arizona, and Nina Trasoff is a former City of Tucson Councilmember. This article was first published in the Arizona Daily Star.
Enough with the disinformation and misinformation coming from Laura Conover’s opponent and his enablers, including the previous County Attorney!
They lost the election four years ago and don’t support the long-overdue reforms Conover has implemented. They want to bring back the Draconian policies of the past, so they found someone who ran for this office before as a Republican to run against Laura.
As co-chairs of Laura’s campaign, it is incumbent on us to set the record straight. Before we agreed to co-chair Laura’s campaign, we reviewed what Laura proposed as a candidate four years ago and how important her proposed reforms were to our community. Laura’s track record includes implementing much-needed changes from the prior administration’s hardline approach to ‘justice’, which was in place for more than 40 years.
What Laura promised and what she’s done:
. Keeping juveniles in Juvenile Court rather than trying them in the Adult Court system whenever possible
. Protecting our community: Reinstated Pima County’s long-defunct fraud unit, recovering more than $1 million in year one for scam victims
. Death penalty: Ended use of the death penalty that disproportionately impacted people of color or people with mental disabilities (Her predecessor refused to support legislation ruling out the death penalty for people with developmental disabilities)
. Prioritize recovery: Introduced precharge pre-indictment diversion programs to steer those with mental health and substance issues away from prosecution and into treatment, saving taxpayers millions
. Reproductive rights: Fought and won against Republicans trying to reinstate an 1864 total abortion ban; continues to fight for reproductive freedom
. Staff support: Obtained the first office-wide pay raise since 1997
The challenges Laura has faced
. Reducing violent crime: During Laura’s tenure, violent crime has been reduced significantly. Because the prior administration abandoned the homicide panel, her administration had to deal with 144 unresolved homicides dating back to 2017.
. COVID and the need for staff to work remotely: The office was still using an antiquated paper filing system, so work could not be done outside the office. She digitized all records and joined the state and nationwide online system.
. Attacks from her predecessor’s staff continue: More than 500 public records inquiries have been submitted by one individual. The State Bar dismissed 21 of the 22 allegations made by this person. Laura took a one-hour virtual course to resolve the final allegation, which was then dismissed. Earlier this month, the State Bar invited Laura to teach ethics to more than 900 attorneys. She would not have been invited if the Bar had concerns about her personal or professional ethics.
Laura is endorsed not just by us but also by: Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, Pima County Board of Supervisors Chair Adelita Grijalva, Tucson Mayor Regina Romero, Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, Rep. Ruben Gallego, Rep. Raul Grijalva, former Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick, former Attorney General Terry Goddard, Former US Senator Dennis DeConcini, former Arizona House Minority Leader Andres Cano, AZ State Rep. Nancy Gutierrez, State Senator Priya Sundareshan, Stonewall Democrats of Arizona, Pastor Grady Scott, Dr. DaMond Holt, Communications Workers of Arizona State Council, Arizona List, Planned Parenthood of Arizona, Tucson City Council members Kevin Dahl and Paul Cunningham, and more.
Laura is a native Tucsonan who speaks fluent Spanish and holds undergraduate and law degrees from the UA. She is passionate about our diverse community, something that informs her sensitivities, judgments, and actions. She inherited a staff with little diversity; today, almost 40% of her Senior Management Team represents minority communities.
Our community is safer and more just with Laura at the helm! She has a track record that demonstrates she does what she says she will do. Please join us. Vote for Laura Conover in the Democratic primary in July.
Read previous posts about the County Attorney Race:
Exposed: The Coordinated Vendetta Attack on Pima County Prosecutor Laura Conover
Pima County Attorney Laura Conover Nails Her Primary Opponent as a Fake Democrat
Conover: LaWall’s attacks in the Pima County Attorney race are distractions
‘Democrat’ Mike Jette Voted for Republican Abe Hamadeh in 2022
Screenshots Prove Fake Democrat Mike Jette Supported “Maternal Choice,” Not Abortion Access
Mike Jette’s Audition for Pima County Attorney Did Not Go as Planned..? and a Personal Endorsement
Discover more from Blog for Arizona
Subscribe to get the latest posts to your email.