Pubdate: Fri, 30 Sep 2005
Source: Culpeper Star-Exponent (VA)
Copyright: 2005 Culpeper Star-Exponent
Contact:  http://www.starexponent.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1946
Author: Allison Brophy Champion, Staff Writer
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

CANDIDATE DISCUSSES TOP PRIORITIES

Sen. Creigh Deeds did not hesitate at all when asked to name his top 
priority if elected the next attorney general of Virginia. "My first 
order of business is to put together a task force so people can find 
the missing sexual predators. As many as one in four predators on the 
(Virginia Sex Offender) registry are whereabouts unknown. I want to 
track those guys down," said the father of four during a late 
afternoon interview Thursday at the Star-Exponent.

"Either the registry means something or it doesn't. I think it means 
something," he added. "It means we're doing what we can to protect 
children and protect communities."

Deeds, a Democrat who will face off with Republican Del. Bob 
McDonnell for the seat in the November election, went on to say that 
he believes in redemption and giving second chances. However, when it 
comes to sex offenders and children, the reality is grim.

"Statistically, people that offend against children are more likely 
to repeat. In those cases, you have to strike the balance on the side 
of protecting the community," said 47-year-old Deeds, an attorney 
from Bath County.

In town for a fund-raising social at the home of Culpeper residents, 
Joe and Connie Kincheloe, the Democratic candidate for attorney 
general was candid and sure in his views, answering questions on a 
wide range of topics. Following is a selection of Deeds' responses:

On gun use: I support the Second Amendment and I'm proud to have the 
NRA endorsement in this race. The NRA supports people that support 
the Second Amendment. I have a pretty consistent record on these 
issues. I grew up in the country, I grew up hunting and fishing.

We've got a Second Amendment that guarantees the right to gun 
ownership, guarantees the right to keep and bear arms.

On the 'no firearms' rule in Yowell Meadow Park: I support uniformity 
statewide so that people know what the laws are no matter where 
they're going to be.

One problem we had - used to be if you got a pamphlet about gun laws 
or hunting laws from the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, 
you'd have a section that was getting longer and longer about 
different rules depending on where you were in the state. I think 
it's important for the sake of clarity of citizenship that people 
know what the laws are no matter where they are. And for that reason, 
I support uniformity of the laws.

On ridding the commonwealth of meth labs: It's a huge issue all over 
the state of Virginia, especially in southwest Virginia. 
Methamphetamine is the poor man's heroin.

Basically, it's so explosive and you can be just as severely impacted 
by inhaling it accidentally than you can be by ingesting it 
purposely. Just this year, labs have also been busted in New Kent 
County, Newport News, Hampton Roads, Harrisonburg and Prince William 
County. If we get serious about it, this is part of the war on drugs 
we can win.

On the emergency response to Hurricane Katrina: It says to me that we 
got a lot of work to do. The unfortunate thing about Katrina is that 
it just demonstrates, at least to the federal government, that we 
were totally unequipped for a disaster on that level.

And of course the states and localities were unequipped as well. We 
have a whole lot of work to do. It's one of those things you've 
always got to be on your toes about. You've always got to be vigilant 
and you've got to always work for improvement. Are we as prepared as 
we need to be? No. Are we better than we were in 2001? Yes.

On what the attorney general does: The attorney general has a big 
public safety responsibility, and I'm prepared for that part of the 
job. I've been a commonwealth's attorney for four years, in Bath 
County. I've been in the legislature 14 years.

I know what the job is. I'm prepared for the job - by experience, by 
training, by values. The attorney general also provides legal advice 
to the governor, the general assembly and every agency of state 
government. I want to be attorney general to make Virginia more safe 
and secure and we go forward.

On his opponent being endorsed by the Virginia Fraternal Order of 
Police: There are lots of police officers that are supporting me. My 
dad was a police officer. I've been a prosecutor. I've been on the 
front lines with police officers. They are the front line troops.

You know, it's easy to talk a tough game on crime and anybody will do 
that, but I'm the only guy in this race that's got a record of 
standing up and saying, 'To really be safe, to really be tough, 
you've got to invest in the front lines.' Fighting crime ain't cheap.

On the likelihood of winning the vote as a Democrat in the Culpeper 
region: I don't know. When I was elected to the Virginia House of 
Delegates, I was elected with a fella named Butch Davies, who as I 
recall was elected as a Democrat from Culpeper. You know, we're 
Virginians before we're Democrats and Republicans.
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MAP posted-by: Elizabeth Wehrman