Voter Guide | Virginia attorney general

KEN T. CUCCINELLI II

Republican

Residence Centreville

Personal Born in Edison, N.J.; age 41 ; married, seven children.

Education Bachelor’s degree, University of Virginia, 1991; law degree and master’s degree, George Mason University, 1995 and 2000.

Occupation Partner in Cuccinelli & Day law firm.

Experience Member of Virginia Senate (37th District) since 2002.

Other Former member of state’s Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Advisory Committee and of Fairfax County Public Schools Social Studies Advisory Committee.

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Why should citizens vote for you?

As Virginia’s next attorney general, I will:

• Continue to fight against gangs, drugs and Internet predators;

• Better protect consumers from fraud and identity theft;

• Keep Virginia a low-regulation, business-friendly state; and

• Improve the mental health system.

As a senator, I have pushed legislation to create one strike and you’re out for violent sex offenders, crack down on drunk drivers, get tough on gangs, and cut down on burdensome regulations on businesses. This summer, I initiated a special session of the legislature and helped pass legislation to address the Supreme Court’s June Melendez decision. Had this decision been left unaddressed, we would have continued to lose DUI and drug cases as a result of the impact of the Melendez decision on our criminal justice system.

These are some of the reasons the Fraternal Order of Police and other law enforcement officials endorsed me for attorney general.
Contact (703) 766-0635; kc4ag@cuccinelli.com; www.cuccinelli.com

 

STEPHEN C. SHANNON

Democrat

Residence Vienna

Personal Born in Berkeley, Calif.; age 38 ; married, three children.

Education Bachelor’s degree, Fairfield University, 1993; master’s degree, Georgetown University, 1996; law degree, University of Virginia School of Law, 1999.

Occupation Attorney, Odin, Feldman and Pittleman.

Experience Member of House of Delegates (35th District), 2004 to present; former prosecutor for Fairfax County.

Other Was a member, Governor’s Commission on Sexual Violence; co-founded with his wife the Amber Alert system in Northern Virginia, which launched in 2001.

Contact (703) 218-3501; steve@shannon2009.com; www.shannon2009.com.

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Why should citizens vote for you?

Virginia law enforcement officials are facing a rash of new and daunting challenges. A violent crime is committed every 4.5 minutes, gang recruitment is at its worst point since 2000, and child pornography has been traced to 19,357 specific computers.

These challenges require strong leadership and aggressive action from the attorney general’s office. The driving force behind my career as a prosecutor and a legislator has been a determination to make Virginia a safer place for kids like mine to grow up. That’s why my wife and I helped to bring the Amber Alert to Virginia, and it’s why as a prosecutor I worked to put criminals who harm children behind bars.

As the commonwealth’s top law enforcement officer, I will work tirelessly to make Virginia a safer place for our kids. I have the experience, knowledge, and focus to be the leader that Virginia needs. You can read my detailed public safety plans at www.shannon2009.com.