Cordray Admits He's No Expert on Law Enforcement

Release:

Columbus – In a surprising development in the race to be Ohio ’s top law enforcement official, Attorney General candidate Richard Cordray admitted he is unqualified to hold that post.

Cordray told an audience of Attorney General employees on Monday that he was not up to speed on the Attorney General’s use of law enforcement computer systems and further said, “I don’t claim to be an expert in law enforcement,” according to the Columbus Dispatch.

“Richard Cordray likes to boast about a close relationship with and endorsements from law enforcement, yet now admits he is unqualified in the area of law enforcement,” Republican candidate Mike Crites said. “This sounds a lot like disgraced former Attorney General Marc Dann, who also admitted he was unqualified to serve as Attorney General. The only difference is that this time, voters can do something about it.”
A significant portion of the Attorney General’s office is dedicated to assisting local law enforcement in the investigation and prosecution of crime. The office also organizes or participates in law enforcement task forces across the state and holds a major annual training conference for Ohio law enforcement.

Dann admitted upon his resignation that he was unqualified to lead the state’s top law enforcement office. Dann had never been a prosecutor and had never managed an office the size of the Attorney General’s office – two vital qualifications for Attorney General that Richard Cordray also lacks.

Crites, on the other hand, has more than two decades of law enforcement experience. A career prosecutor, he has served at the local, state, and federal levels and has more prosecuting experience than the last seven Attorneys General combined.

Crites was appointed in 1986 to serve as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, a position he held until 1993. In this role he was responsible for all federal law enforcement in 48 of 88 Ohio counties. He is the only candidate in the race who has prosecuted financial crimes, drug crimes, organized crime, white collar crime and public corruption.

Crites is also a decorated U.S. Navy Captain, Crites was inducted into the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame and is a veteran of the Vietnam War. At the peak of his Navy career he helped manage 7,300 personnel.

“Ohio simply can’t afford to elect another Attorney General who is not prepared to lead the office,” Crites said. “I am the only candidate who has all the experience necessary to lead the office from day one.”

Emphasis added because that's the real message that voters need to hear about this race...