Crites comes out as AG candidate

COLUMBUS -- The speculation is over and the race has been joined: Mike Crites will be the Republican Party's nominee for attorney general.

In a press conference at the Statehouse this afternoon, the virtually unknown Crites was introduced to the public as a tough, apolitical, and most of all experienced candidate for attorney general. Crites is a retired U.S. Navy captain, former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio and currently a private attorney with a Columbus law firm.

"I am proud to say that I have more prosecution experience than the last seven attorney generals combined," Crites said.

Crites said he's running because the damage done by former Attorney General Marc Dann will take years to repair and that state Treasurer Richard Cordray (D-Grove City) merely sees "A.G." as "aspiring governor."

"He's an experienced candidate and I respect his political skills," Crites said. "I'm the only candidate in this race that's taken on organized crime and won. I'm the only candidate in this race who's investigated deadly drug gangs and won. I'm the only candidate in this race who's prosecuted white-collar criminals without regard to favoritism or friendship."

Crites did not exclude Republicans from his litany of bad behavior, pointing the finger at former Gov. Bob Taft and former U.S. Rep. Bob Ney as disappointments during an interview following the press conference.

"Ordinary Ohioans...know one thing: neither political party has a monopoly on incompetence or on corruption," Crites said.

The most-explicit distinction drawn between Crites and Cordray came from Warren Co. Prosecutor Rachel Hutzel, who characterized Cordray, 49, as a career politician, seeking offices from state representative, U.S. House, attorney general, U.S. Senate, Franklin Co. treasurer to Ohio treasurer now.

"In 1972 when Mike Crites was defending his country in Vietnam, Richard Cordray was in middle school," Hutzel said. In 1987, when Mike Crites was confirmed as U.S. Attorney...Richard Cordray during that same period of time was a contestant on Jeopardy," Hutzel said.

Not to be outdone, Democratic Party Chair Chris Redfern said Crites is unknown and unqualified, outside of a position on the Olentangy School Board, which Crites left in 1997.

"I suppose he's well qualified to be a member of the Olentangy School Board, which he was elected to one term," Redfern said. "I suppose up in Delaware County there may be a couple of precincts where Mr. Crites is well known - I'm not sure."

When asked if Cordray will walk away with the election, Redfern was more modest, saying that every campaign is difficult but Cordray has a resume is "beyond question" and broad support. Redfern said he expects each candidate to spend more than $2 million in the next three months to win the attorney general seat.

Crites said his immediate campaign plans include fundraising.

"Obviously I'm spending a lot of time talking to contributors, I'm talking to a lot of supporters," Crites said.

Crites also said he'll be looking to John McCain for support.

"I've got a number of events coming up that involve Senator McCain, who as you also know is an Annapolis graduate," Crites said.

Finally, Crites said if he wins election, he would likely seek reelection to two full terms.