Ross Garber: Attorney General candidate

Ross Garber is a candidate in the Republican Primary on Aug. 10, running against Martha Dean, the party-endorsed candidate.

Ross Garber is a partner with the law firm of Shipman & Goodwin. He focuses on government investigations and ethics. Ross is a Connecticut native and graduate of the UConn law school and has held a variety of public service positions.

Ross Garber statement:

For too long one political party has controlled the Office of Attorney General. During the nearly 50 years they have controlled the office, Democrats have succeeded in changing the role of the attorney general. It has become a post from which ambitious lawyer/politicians take an activist approach to change public policy, by going around both the legislature and the governor, to promote personal political agendas.

This is not the proper role of an attorney general.

The attorney general is Connecticut’s chief civil legal officer. It is his job to advise state officials and agencies on how to comply with the law; to represent the state in court; and to enforce the state’s civil laws, including those that protect consumers from unscrupulous business practices, preserve the environment, and ensure that antitrust violations do not stifle competition.

These fundamentals are what the office must focus on if we are to restore integrity and fairness. Unfortunately, both my Republican opponent in the Aug. 10 primary and the Democratic nominee have very different visions of the role of attorney general. They have clearly stated their intention to use the office to aggressively pursue social policy. This approach will continue the expansion of government in Connecticut and stifle the creation of jobs.

The misuse of the Attorney General’s Office has led in part to Connecticut’s current reputation as a place where it is difficult to start and grow a business. An attorney general’s success should not be measured in lawsuits filed or press conferences held.

As attorney general, I will aggressively pursue those who break the law, but I will also work with businesses, individuals and officeholders to make sure the law is not broken in the first place. I will streamline operations of the office to do my share to reduce the cost and size of state government. I will focus on being a good attorney general, not a successful politician.

Having served as chief legal counsel to two governors, and having defended many clients in actions taken by the Office of Attorney General, I know I am well qualified to manage the office and improve its performance beginning on day one.

I am a Connecticut native and graduated with honors from the University of Connecticut and the UConn School of Law. I have spent most of my legal career focusing on government investigations and ethics and am currently a partner with the law firm of Shipman and Goodwin. Integrity in government is something I take very seriously.

For more information on my campaign and where I stand on the issues, I invite you to visit my Web site: rossgarber.com.

If you are a Republican, I ask for your vote in the Aug. 10 primary. If you will be out of town that day, please contact your local town hall for information on an absentee ballot. Thank you.

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