Attorney General, Delaware

See where the five candidates stand on key issues: Ted Kittila (R), Matt Denn (D), Catherine Damavandi (Green Party), David Graham (Independent of Delaware), John Machurek, (Libertarian).

Ted Kittila (R)CandidateOriginally from Seaford, Kittila attended University of Delaware and got a law degree from University of Minnesota. Now a trial attorney in Wilmington, litigating corporate, commercial and Constitutional law cases. Watch his interview on WHYY’s “First.”

Crime

Pledges to work with local law enforcement, make fewer plea bargains, and impose tougher sentences with mandatory time, particularly for gun offenses.

Leadership

Says top priority should be putting criminals in jail, says he will take politics out of the office, a swipe at Democratic opponent Denn, who is running while serving as lieutenant governor.

Accountability

Pledges more oversight and transparency following recent evidence-tampering scandal in former Office of the Chief Medical Examiner’s controlled-substances lab.

 

Matt Denn (D)CandidateState’s lieutenant governor since 2008, former insurance commissioner. Grew up in New Castle County, attended University of California at Berkeley and Yale Law School. Worked in private practice; served as chief legal counsel to former Gov. Ruth Ann Minner. Watch his interview on WHYY’s “First.”

Crime

Reduce violent crime through partnerships with local law enforcement, vigorous prosecution, and addressing root causes of crime, e.g., substance abuse.

Protecting the Most Vulnerable

Protecting children from sexual predators, and elderly and disabled from crime and fraud.

Safer Schools

Says he’ll build on work initiated by himself and A.G. Beau Biden to combat bullying and cyberbullying, in particular.

 

Catherine Damavandi (Green Party)CandidateCareer deputy attorney general since 2000. By law, she was required to resign in order to run for the office. Prosecuted both white collar and misdemeanor crimes in the Court of Common Pleas.

Crime

Promises to implement “direct solutions,” she has devised to take violent criminals off the street.

Protecting the Most Vulnerable

Says she’s committed to protecting children and older Delawareans from abuse, exploitation and bullying.

Financial Predators

Will proactively investigate and prosecute those who commit financial crimes.

 

David Graham (Independent of Delaware)CandidateRan for governor as a Republican in 2008; was Republican write-in candidate for attorney general in 2010. An army veteran and graduate of Goldey Beacom College. An accountant by trade, currently works for the Delaware Dept. of Finance’s tax enforcement unit.

Veteran’s Affairs

Would use the resources of the A.G.’s office to investigate and prosecute those who commit crimes against veterans.

The Office

Will lobby General Assembly to change the office from elected to appointed by the governor; says decisions should be made according to law not politics.

Equal Justice

Streamline the agency to ensure speedy trials, prevent prosecutor abuses and end the double standard of justice that he says favors the wealthy.

 

John Machurek, (Libertarian)CandidateLittle information is available about the Libertarian nominee. John Machurek’s campaign. His Facebook page reads simply: “It’s time for change in Delaware politics.” Machurek ran unsuccessfully for the State House in 2012.

Issues

No information about Machurek’s platform was made available to NewsWorks or WHYY by the Libertarian candidate.