http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepubli ... s0917.html

Attorney general candidates differ in solutions to crimes

Chris Ramirez
The Arizona Republic
Sept. 17, 2006 12:00 AM

Meth. No one disputes that the cheap, easy-to-make drug of choice is both dangerous and a financial drain on the state.

Bill Montgomery and Terry Goddard agree on at least that much.

But the two are polar opposites when it comes to figuring out how to keep it off the streets.

So sets the stage for Arizona's attorney general race.

Each won unopposed nominations from their parties in the Sept. 12 primary and are awaiting their first debate. Since the primary, they've crisscrossed the state getting their names and messages out.

Goddard, the Democratic incumbent, said important strides have been made in combating meth manufacturing and trafficking in the state on his watch. Much of it came from stepped-up enforcement along the border and cooperation from local agencies in southern Arizona communities, he said.

He pledged to continue that work, if re-elected, a task that would require bipartisan support in Republican-strong Arizona.

Montgomery thinks Goddard and Gov. Janet Napolitano each have done little to control illegal immigration at the border. He believes securing the border is key to stemming crime in Arizona.

"It's a central issue, the central issue," said Montgomery, 39, a Republican from Gilbert. "They're not paying attention to it."

Justice Department data and surveys conducted by law enforcement nationally have shown that meth is quickly replacing marijuana as the nation's most-used illegal narcotic. In some corners of Arizona, it is linked to three in every four crimes, including human smuggling, according to crime statistics provided by both the FBI and the state.

Goddard believes that, although bigger labs operate in California and Mexico, Arizona has emerged as a fertile place to obtain the material needed to make it.

"It is recognized as the greatest criminal element in the country," said Goddard, 59. "It touches almost everything. You simply can't ignore it."

He pushed the approval of Senate Bill 1473, which restricts sales of products containing pseudoephedrine, a drug found in common medicines but often used in meth manufacturing.

Goddard says meth-lab prosecutions have gone up in his tenure. Montgomery takes issue with that.

Securing the border is likely to be a repeated theme for Montgomery until the Nov. 7 general election. He and Len Munsil, who last week locked up the GOP nomination for governor, have outlined an eight-point border-security strategy calling for establishing an Arizona Border Patrol.

While details about the border patrol have been scant, Munsil says financing it would cost "hundreds of millions of dollars," much of which he says the state already is able to afford.

Montgomery also plans to start an "Illegal Alien Prosecution Unit," targeting violators of the state's Anti-Coyote Law while complementing efforts already being undertaken by local sheriff's agencies.

Arizona would see "a significant drop" in its overall crime rate in about two years if the plan were implemented, Montgomery said.

"If you're able to cut down illegal immigration, you can reduce all types of crime: human smuggling, drug smuggling, meth production, all across the board," he said.

Goddard is quick to point out his office also is responsible for prosecuting other types of cases. Recently his department played a role in charging executives in a $550 million Baptist Foundation fraud case earlier this year, and the apprehension of Warren Jeffs, a fugitive polygamist who had been on the FBI's "Most Wanted" list for a variety of sex offenses.

Goddard disagrees with his opponent's claim that his office has been soft on the border or meth, noting the inception of a Border Crimes Task Force, a group of prosecutors assigned specifically to handle crimes in that region.

Goddard believes the effort connects his office with residents throughout the state and helps them on a variety of concerns, including identity theft, predatory lending and victims' and civil rights.

Meanwhile, Montgomery has to work to overcome his opponent's name recognition. Goddard is a former mayor of Phoenix and was nearly elected governor in 1990.

Munsil's primary win over Don Goldwater, the nephew of the late Sen. Barry Goldwater, proved to Montgomery it's possible. The going could be tougher against Goddard, who has a proven track record in his own right.

"It's campaign time . . . so you have to get out and be among the people," Montgomery said.

"Len was able to do it with Goldwater, and I plan to do the same thing with (Goddard)."