Martha Dean: Attorney General candidate

Martha Dean is the Republican-endorsed candidate in the Aug. 10 primary. Her challenger is Ross Garber.

Martha Dean has practiced law in Connecticut for the past 22 years, running her own practice for the past 16 years. Martha also worked at Robinson & Cole and the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission. Martha is a graduate of Wellesley College, and the University of Connecticut School of Law.

Martha Dean statement:

As the Republican-endorsed candidate, I bring a fresh perspective to the Attorney General’s Office. I am an experienced lawyer who is not swayed by political considerations. Unlike my opponents, I have no ties to past failed administrations or to failed legislative policies. As attorney general, I will make decisions based on the law, relying on knowledge, integrity, and common sense.

In choosing an attorney general, voters are not hiring a “lawyer” per se, but a leader of an office already staffed with some 200 lawyers. This race is not about electing an experienced politician, since Hartford is full of experienced politicians who have brought Connecticut to its knees. The race for attorney general is also not about Left or Right — it’s about right and wrong.

I have devoted my career to representing law-abiding businesses and individuals. I help clients navigate complex regulatory schemes, successfully challenge inappropriate government action, and recoup losses, while furthering their economic and individual rights guaranteed by the Constitution. I have fought for consumers all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, and my cases have established national precedents.

As the owner of a law practice, I bring to the Attorney General’s Office an understanding of the importance of using resources wisely and knowledge of how to do more with less.

In 2002, I was the Republican nominee for attorney general. My message of economic opportunity and fair and just law enforcement inspired a surge of 50,000 new voters to the attorney general’s race, giving me the strongest showing of any Republican who has run against incumbent Richard Blumenthal over his 20 years in office.

Connecticut is in a crisis. Crises demand excellent leadership because there is no room for politics, political correctness, or mere feel-good solutions. Excellent leaders deal with facts and reality. They can communicate what needs to be done to get others on board. They are able to discern what’s right and map out and implement a pragmatic course of action. Over my career, I have demonstrated my willingness to take on tough assignments and to do what is right, rather than what is convenient.

As your attorney general, I will not bow to political pressure, political considerations, or polls. I promise to focus the priorities of the office on preventing and rectifying real harm to the state and consumers, while eliminating from the pending backlog of 36,000 cases all meritless lawsuits. I will focus the Attorney General’s Office on upholding the Constitution and preventing the state from trampling on citizens most basic rights.

By voting for me as Connecticut’s next attorney general, Connecticut’s citizens get more than an experienced and skilled lawyer; they get a leader who’s dedicated to what’s right, and who will resolve to ensure that every decision made in the office is focused on upholding the law in a way that restores Connecticut’s economic health. As your attorney general, I will never forget that I am a public servant, dedicated to serving you.