Diego Rodriguez Shares Insight on Maricopa County Attorney Run

By: Cindy G. Castillo

Diego Rodriguez says he’s “fed up” with the incompetence and corruption in county government.

That’s the main reason he’s currently running for Maricopa County Attorney. With more than 20 years of experience practicing law, Rodriguez believes he’s the right person for the job as he’s already dedicated his legal career to fighting for equality and justice for all in Arizona.

“I’m no longer willing to just sit by and watch how elected county officials here in Maricopa County don’t seem to be able to follow the oaths of their office, follow the law and operate with integrity and accountability,” he said.

Rodriguez arrived to the state of Arizona in 1992 for law school and started his public service straight after graduation as a prosecutor for the Pima County Attorney’s misdemeanor unit. In that time, he completed more than 80 jury trials in under four years – including DUIs, drug crimes and even homicides.

If elected to the position, some of the things he’ll focus on include supporting the regulation of marijuana, the prosecution of animal abusers – but more than anything, stopping mass incarceration.

“We need to start working on Arizona’s love affair with prisons,” he explains, “we spend nearly a billion dollars on the Department of Correction’s budget every year, while we have to fight and kick and scratch for pennies for our kid’s schools.”

He said there are alternatives to prisons, including mental health court, drug court, and veteran’s court to try and keep non-violent offenders out of prison.

Through his efforts, Rodriguez was able to get the endorsement of the Mesa Police Association earlier this month. Nate Gafvert, President of the association said, “Diego is an experienced prosecutor who worked his way from misdemeanor cases to first-degree homicides. He has the knowledge and experience to do the job.”

And if there are questions that the community wants answers to, he says he’s open to a conversation with the public, and invites voters to connect with him via his website or even his social media channels.

“Our state is choosing prisons over our kids, and it’s time we start working on new ways to handle the criminal justice system; new and smarter ways,” he said.

To learn more about Diego Rodriguez and his campaign for Maricopa County Attorney, please visit www.rodriguez2016.com.