Only in this nation could a first-generation American, whose first language wasn’t even English, become a government prosecutor and a state’s chief law enforcement officer. As I look back on my time in office, I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunities that Arizona and America have afforded my family and me.
It has been a great honor to serve as attorney general for the state I love. The past eight years have brought tough challenges and momentous victories. As the Grateful Dead once sang, “what a long, strange trip it’s been.” I wouldn’t change a thing, though, from my time in office, and I regret none of the actions we took on behalf of hard-working taxpayers. One of my top priorities as attorney general has always been consumer protection. Recently, we announced an $85 million settlement with Google LLC for tracking users’ location data without their knowledge and consent. I am proud of this historic settlement, one of the largest in these types of cases, proving no entity is above the law.
Our office has secured record consumer protection recoveries since 2015. Some of those include a $14.5 million settlement with Juul Labs, Inc. for marketing their products to young people, a $40 million settlement with Volkswagen to resolve false advertising claims involving so-called clean diesel cars; and a $5 million settlement over allegations of safety problems related to defective Takata airbag systems. In addition, Arizona is the only state to get full refunds for every Arizonan who purchased a Theranos blood test.
KARI LAKE APPEALS DISMISSAL OF ELECTION LAWSUIT CHALLENGING HER MIDTERM DEFEAT
As the crisis continues to ramp up at the southern border, it’s brought an influx of drugs into Arizona communities, putting everyone in danger. Our agents are working every day to keep our streets safe, seizing more than 1.5 million fentanyl pills just this fiscal year. We’ve worked closely with federal and local officials to keep deadly drugs off the streets and to prosecute the smugglers responsible for the carnage to our families and communities.
Our office is also the national leader in national legal battles. Very few state officials have ever had the opportunity to take the lead on lawsuits against two presidential administrations like we have with the Obama-Biden administration to the Biden-Harris administration. From fighting to secure our southern border to filing the first lawsuit over unconstitutional vaccine mandates, we’ve consistently fought to protect federalism and uphold the rule of law. One of the highlights of my career was successfully arguing Brnovich v. Democratic National Committee, one of the most significant election integrity cases in generations, at the U.S. Supreme Court.
From seniors to students, thousands of Arizonans have received vital information through presentations, events, and community outreach. In a continuing effort to reach more people, the office launched AGTV this year, a first-of-its-kind video channel giving people another platform to get educational information.
Being a prosecutor is about ensuring justice, and that’s why resuming executions was so important. Those who commit the ultimate crimes should receive the ultimate punishment. After a multiyear hiatus on executions, Arizona executed three degenerate killers this year, giving grieving family members solace and closure after decades of court appeals and delays.
Not everyone agreed with all of the positions we took or the battles we fought, and that’s OK. I know, though, that I always did what the law required and what I felt in my heart was right. We are leaving this office better than when we found it. And just like in that same Grateful Dead song, we’re going to “hang it up and see what tomorrow brings.”
Thank you, Arizona, for the privilege of serving you for these eight years. God bless this state and this country.
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Mark Brnovich currently serves as Arizona’s 26th attorney general
