A few weeks ago, I wrote a piece titled “A Real Lawman” about the potential candidacy of Tom O’Brien for Attorney General. As you might recall Tom is the extremely effective U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California. He has an impeccable record in fighting crime from human trafficking to cybercrimes to white collar fraud. He has also tackled street gangs in Los Angeles.
I have just learned that Tom has decided against a run for Attorney General at this time. That’s too bad. Not just because I think he would have been a formidable Republican candidate, but because all Californians will not have the opportunity to have someone of his caliber and character as their chief law enforcement official.
The California Republican Party is at its lowest point in decades. If ever there was a time for new faces and new solutions to old problems that time is now. Tom would have brought new energy and vitality to a party that desperately needs it.
And from a personal standpoint, whether it is Tom O’Brien or someone else, Californians need someone like O’Brien as our Attorney General. What we do not need is someone like potential Democratic nominee, San Francisco DA Kamala Harris, who wouldn’t even seek the death penalty for the cold blooded murderer of a police officer. Even fellow Democrat Senator Dianne Feinstein condemned that decision when she spoke at the funeral of murdered San Francisco Police Officer Isaac Espinoza when she said, “This is not only the definition of tragedy, it’s the special circumstance called for by the death penalty law.”
I wish Tom well and I hope that Republicans find someone like him to run for Attorney General.