Biden Campaign Press Release - ICYMI: Bipartisan Group of 107 Former State Attorneys General Endorse Biden-Harris Ticket

Today, a bipartisan group of 107 former State Attorneys General endorsed Joe Biden for President and Kamala Harris for Vice President. In a statement, the law enforcement officials cited "Joe Biden's career in fighting on behalf of the middle class" and "his proven commitment to fair and just law enforcement"— which was demonstrated in his selection of a "fair and just prosecutor and attorney general as his vice president." The bipartisan endorsement highlights the belief and acknowledgment shared across the aisle that Joe Biden's America will be exponentially safer than Trump's America.

The 107 Former State Attorneys issued the following statement:

Statement by Bipartisan Group of 107 Former State Attorneys General in Support of the Biden-Harris Ticket

We, the undersigned law enforcement officials, endorse the Biden/Harris ticket for President and Vice President of the United States.

Joe Biden's career has been fighting on behalf of the middle class. As former attorneys general we have seen him share our commitment to eliminate abuses of power – whether economic or physical power – that bear down on the lives of millions of Americans.

Joe Biden believes in common sense law enforcement dedicated to keeping all of us safe whether it is protecting us from violent crime, economic crime, or injustice. Joe was a leader in the establishment of community policing -- where police work closely with local communities to help establish their priorities -- writing and championing the Violence Against Women Act of 1994, establishing the first-ever White House Advisor on Violence Against Women, and launching a national campaign to change the culture surrounding campus rape and sexual assault.

Joe knows that changes are needed in our criminal justice system if we are to assure equality of treatment for all citizens regardless of race or economic standing. Today, too many people are incarcerated in the United States – and too many of them are black or brown. Joe knows that the best way to create safe and healthy communities is not to build prisons, but to build opportunity. He believes that we need to rethink whom we're sending to jail, how we treat those in jail, and how we help them get the health care, education, jobs, and housing necessary to rejoin society after they serve their time. As President, Joe Biden will strengthen America's commitment to justice and reform our criminal justice system.

The Biden Plan for Strengthening America's Commitment to Justice is based on several core principles:

Joe Biden knows we must reduce the number of people incarcerated in this country while also reducing crime. Drug users should be diverted to drug courts and treatment. Because 90% of those incarcerated today are not in federal custody, Joe Biden knows that the federal government must vigorously support state and local efforts that are dedicated to meaningful reform. Reducing the number of incarcerated individuals will reduce government spending on incarceration and these savings must be reinvested in the communities impacted by mass incarceration.

Our criminal justice system cannot be just unless we root out the racial, gender, and income-based disparities in the system. Black mothers and fathers should feel confident that their children are safe walking the streets and that law enforcement officers are there to support that safety. And, when a police officer pins on that shield and walks out the door, the officer's family should know they will come home at the end of the day.

We agree with Joe Biden that our criminal justice system must be focused on redemption and
rehabilitation. Making sure formerly incarcerated individuals have the opportunity to be productive members of our society is not only the right thing to do, it will also grow our economy.

Finally, Joe Biden has proven his commitment to fair and just law enforcement by selecting a fair and just former prosecutor and attorney general as his Vice President. Kamala Harris understands the needs -- and the complexities -- of modern law enforcement and will work closely with President Biden to restore faith in those who are sworn to protect all of us.

Signed,

Jeff Modisett
IN Attorney General, 1997-2000

Grant Woods
AZ Attorney General, 1991-99

Robert Abrams
NY Attorney General, 1979-93

Jeff Amestoy
VT Attorney General, 1985-97

Doug Bailey
AK Attorney General, 1989-91

Thurbert Baker
GA Attorney General, 1997-2010

Paul Bardacke
NM Attorney General, 1983-86

William J. Baxley
AL Attorney General, 1971-79

Senator Richard Blumenthal
CT Attorney General, 1991-2011

Bruce Botelho
AK Attorney General, 1994-2002

Margery Bronster
HI Attorney General, 1995-99

Governor Steve Bullock
MT Attorney General, 2009–13

Senator Roland Burris
IL Attorney General, 1991-95

Bob Butterworth
FL Attorney General, 1987-2002

Bonnie J. Campbell
IA Attorney General, 1991-95

Pamela Carter
IN Attorney General, 1992-96

Rep. Ben Chandler
KY Attorney General, 1996-2004

Doug Chin
HI Attorney General, 2018

Steve Clark
AR Attorney General, 1979-90

Martha Coakley
MA Attorney General, 2007-15

Mike Cody
TN Attorney General, 1984-88

Walter Cohen
PA Attorney General, 1995

Jack Conway
KY Attorney General, 2008-16

Frederick D. Cooke, Jr.
DC Attorney General (then Corp. Counsel), 1987-90

Robert Cooper
TN Attorney General, 2006-14

Richard Cordray
OH Attorney General, 2009-11

J. Joseph Curran, Jr.
MD Attorney General, 1987-2006

Michael A. Delaney
NH Attorney General, 2009-13

Frankie Sue del Papa
NV Attorney General, 1991-2003

Matthew Denn
DE Attorney General, 2015–19

M. Jerome Diamond
VT Attorney General, 1975-81

Governor Mike Easley
NC Attorney General, 1993-2001

Rufus Edmisten
NC Attorney General, 1974-84

Drew Edmondson
OK Attorney General, 1995-2011

Lee Fisher
OH Attorney General, 1991-95

Joseph A. Foster
NH Attorney General, 2013-17

Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson
IN Attorney General, 2000-01

Steven F. Freudenthal
WY Attorney General, 1981-82

Douglas Gansler
MD Attorney General, 2007-15

Terry Goddard
AZ Attorney General, 2003-11

Chris Gorman
KY Attorney General, 1992-96

Jan Graham
UT Attorney General, 1993-2000

Governor Jennifer Granholm
MI Attorney General, 1999-2003

Governor Christine Gregoire
WA Attorney General, 1993-2005

Scott Harshbarger
MA Attorney General, 1991-99

Neil Hartigan
IL Attorney General, 1983-91

Peter C. Harvey
NJ Attorney General, 2003-06

Mike Hatch
MN Attorney General, 1999-2007

Senator Heidi Heitkamp
ND Attorney General, 1993-2001

Jim Hood
MS Attorney General, 2004-20

Hubert H. Humphrey III
MN Attorney General, 1982-98

Richard Ieyoub
LA Attorney General, 1992-2003

George Jepsen
CT Attorney General, 2011-19

Jim Jones
ID Attorney General, 1983-91

Governor James Doyle
WI Attorney General, 1991-2003

Drew Ketterer
ME Attorney General, 1995-2001

Peter Kilmartin
RI Attorney General, 2011-19

Gary King
NM Attorney General, 2007-15

G. Oliver Koppell
NY Attorney General, 1994

Governor Ted Kulongoski
OR Attorney General, 1993-97

Senator Joseph Lieberman
CT Attorney General, 1983-89

Jahna Lindemuth
AK Attorney General, 2016-18

Bill Lockyer
CA Attorney General, 1999-2007

David Louie
HI Attorney General, 2011-14

Dustin McDaniel
AR Attorney General, 2007-15

Lisa Madigan
IL Attorney General, 2003-19

Patricia Madrid
NM Attorney General, 1998-2006

Robert Marks
HI Attorney General, 1992-95

V. Frank Mendicino
WY Attorney General, 1975-78

Anne Milgram,
NJ Attorney General, 2007-10

Attorney General Tom Miller
IA Attorney General, 1979-91

Vice President Walter Mondale
MN Attorney General, 1960-64

Mike Moore
MS Attorney General, 1987-2003

Governor Janet Napolitano
AZ Attorney General, 1999-2003

Irving B. Nathan
DC Attorney General, 2011-15

Charlie Oberly III
DE Attorney General, 1983-95

Jeff Pine
RI Attorney General, 1993-99

Edwin Lloyd Pittman
MS Attorney General, 1984-88

Warren Price
HI Attorney General, 1986-92

Senator Mark L. Pryor
AR Attorney General, 1999-2003

Clarine Nardi Riddle
CT Attorney General, 1989-91

Hector Reichard
PR Attorney General, 1981-83

Thomas Reilly
MA Attorney General, 1999-2007

Nancy H. Rogers
OH Attorney General, 2008-09

Stephen Rosenthal
VA Attorney General, 1993-94

Senator Ken Salazar
CO Attorney General, 1999-2005

Luis Sanchez-Betances
PR Attorney General, 2013

James Shannon
MA Attorney General, 1987-91

Mark Shurtleff
UT Attorney General, 2001-13

Governor Don Siegelman
AL Attorney General, 1987-91

Steve Six
KS Attorney General, 2008-11

Rosalie Simmonds Ballentine
USVI Attorney General, 1990-95

Gregory Smith
NH Attorney General, 1980-84

Bill Sorrell
VT Attorney General, 1997-2017

Robert J. Spagnoletti
DC Attorney General, 2003-06

Lori Swanson
MN Attorney General, 2007-19

Mary Sue Terry
VA Attorney General, 1986-93

Lacy Thornburg
NC Attorney General, 1985-93

James Tierney
ME Attorney General, 1980-90

Anthony F. Troy
VA Attorney General, 1977-78

Governor Jim Guy Tucker
AR Attorney General 1972-76

Michael C. Turpen
OK Attorney General, 1983-87

Senator Tom Udall
NM Attorney General, 1991-98

John Knox Walkup
TN Attorney General, 1997-99

Senator Sheldon Whitehouse
RI Attorney General, 1999-2003

James Zazzali
NJ Attorney General, 1981-82

Greg Zoeller
IN Attorney General, 2009-17