DAVID LEYTON, MICHIGAN DEMOCRATIC PARTY NOMINEE FOR ATTORNEY
GENERAL,TALKS TO NEWS-REVIEW

While the Republicans are revving up their pre-convention rhetoric to
select the nominee for Michigan attorney general, the Michigan
Democratic Party nominee has been able to campaign free of immediate
competition for the past three months.

Attorney General candidate David Leyton, the Democratic prosecutor
for Genessee County, sat down with the News-Review earlier this week
as part of a five-day trek through Northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula.

Leyton, who also owns a home in Charlevoix, is campaigning on a
platform for protecting the environment in Michigan, but was more
than happy to delve into other issues surrounding his desired post.

Asian Carp

Q: Sticking with the your environmental platform, what can the
attorney general do to prevent the invasive Asian carp?

Leyton: "You can litigate to get some kind of a court order to
regulate the entry points. Start with shutting the Chicago shipping
canal. I believe it needs to be shutdown until the Asian carp are
eradicated on the west side of the barrier, and think it should
remain shut until we see that happen.

"But, I also think you need to work on a diplomatic front, if you
will, with the White House to ensure that it happens and convince the
powers that be why it is so important.

"You're talking about damaging a fishing industry for not just
Michigan, but all of the Great Lake states. You're talking about
damaging all of the tourism industry for the Great Lake states.
That's billions of dollars and a way of life for people."

Health Care Reform

Q: What are your thoughts on the health care reform lawsuit present
Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox has presented to prevent health
care reform going into effect in Michigan?

Leyton: "I support what President (Barack) Obama has done. Americans
should have health care. I think it is good that a woman has prenatal
care. I think it is good that people can keep their kids on their
policy until (age) 26. Especially, since so many people can't find
jobs and jobs with benefits. That's all good.

"I don't think Mr. Cox's lawsuit is grounded in the constitution of
the commerce clause. I think it is politically driven, rather than
policy driven. I would not continue it.

"On a broader philosophical note, I'm not sure the attorney general
should be filing lawsuits because he may not agree with some federal,
political initiative. I don't think that is the job of the attorney general."

Q: Cox and Governor Jennifer Granholm have had several differences of
opinion in the past year, including the health care reform bill.
Would you be able to work with Republican candidate for governor Rick
Snyder should he win?

Leyton: "Absolutely. I think my model for attorney general is Frank
Kelly. Kelly worked very, very well with moderate Republican
(Governor) Bill Milliken.

"If indeed Mr. Snyder is as moderate as they say - but I don't know
that because I haven't focused a whole lot on him - I wouldn't have
any trouble working with a governor of another party.

"The people of Michigan want to see bipartisanship. You'll find that
I can provide that, because as a moderate Democrat and prosecutor, I
have had to work across party lines, and really, from the job I do
now - this quote hangs on the wall of my office: 'Getting the job is
political, doing the job should never be.' That applies to the
attorney general."

"Of all the jobs in Michigan, attorney general cannot be partisan.
That's why I think Mr. Cox has stumbled some, because he has been too
partisan."

Medical Marijuana

Q: Medical marijuana has been a big issue for local governments. How
do you see it taking shape in the future and how do you see your role
as a potential attorney general impacting that?

Leyton: "It's the will of the people - 63 percent of people voted for
it. It's my role as leadership to make the law more understandable to
law enforcement, so the people know what they can do and cannot do.
There's a lot of gray areas. The attorney general should have filled
in those gray areas.

"So, a committee of prosecutors - one of whom is me - has picked up
the slack and we are righting the rules to fill in the gaps. I will
not spend the next four years trying to repeal that law, as my likely
opponent (Sen. Mike Bishop) has said he will."

Q: But what specific changes are needed in the Medical Marijuana law?

Leyton: "I think you have to know where a dispensary can go. I think
you have to know what type of facility you can grow it in. I think
you have to know from where you can obtain (medical marijuana) it. I
think you have to know where folks can setup community rooms if
people want to talk about it and smoke and ensure children aren't in
there and that it is not near schools.

"The bottom line is it is the will of the people. People said: If it
helps the people overcome chronic pain from their illness, than what
is wrong with it? That is what the people of Michigan enacted."

Political Goals

Q: As someone who has never been a legislator, will that impact how
you perform as an attorney general?

Leyton: "I think when you come from being a local official, a
prosecutor, long-time practicing lawyer and business owner, you come
at this a certain way. There are certain aspects of my party that I
embrace, but I have always been independent and somebody who can
appeal to crossover voters, which I've gotten in Genessee County."

Q: What priority is number one for you if elected to attorney general?

Leyton: "Number one is public safety. Public safety is the number one
job of government at any level, be it cities, counties or state.

"I have had 20,000 criminal cases in the time I have been prosecuting
attorney in arguably one of the toughest towns in America (Flint) and
I have a 92 percent conviction rate.

"Environment, consumer protection - cracking down on Medicaid fraud
so more people who are without can get health care, are also my top
priorities with public safety being number one."

Leyton will face either former Michigan Court of Appeals Judge Bill
Schuette or Michigan Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop in the
Tuesday, Nov. 2, general election.