www.lawrencewasden.com

Attorney General Lance Will Not Seek a Third Term

3/27/2002

(Boise) - Attorney General Al Lance announced today that he will not seek re-election to a third term as Idaho Attorney General. Lance made his announcement during a news conference in the State Capitol this morning.

"For the last 7 years it has been my honor and my privilege to represent the people of Idaho as Attorney General. After careful consideration, I have decided that I will not seek re-election to a third term," Attorney General Lance said. "Instead, I will endorse my chief-of-staff, Lawrence Wasden, and ask those who have supported me these last 7 years to rally around Lawrence and elect him as Idaho's 32nd Attorney General."

Attorney General Lance cited as significant accomplishments of his administration:

• Consolidation of state legal services under the Office of Attorney General, providing efficiency in legal services that have saved Idaho taxpayers millions of dollars.
• Defense of Idaho's sovereignty by defeating literally thousands of federal claims for Idaho's water, preventing the introduction of grizzly bears into central Idaho and obtaining an injunction blocking former President Clinton's illegal roadless rule.
• Worked with local law enforcement and county prosecutors as Idaho's crime rate fell by 28% to become the lowest in the west and the eighth lowest of the 50 states. Over the same period, the number of reported hate crimes in Idaho has declined 60%.
• Idaho's participation in the national tobacco settlement, which ended the industry's marketing practices aimed at enticing our children to break the law and provides perpetual payments to the State of Idaho for appropriation by the legislature.
• And, with the help of several Idaho legislators, creation of the Attorney General's No Call List.

"It will not be easy leaving this office and my dedicated staff. The same is true for my clients - the Governor, constitutional officers, legislators and state agencies, and most of all, our constituents," Lance said. "The Office of Attorney General as an institution is critical to our system of government. I have always sought to protect the integrity of the office and have endeavored to leave it in even better condition than when I took office."