Las Cruces Attorney Samuel Kane (R) is running for New Mexico Attorney General. He spoke with KC Counts about his campaign. A campaign representative for Incumbent AG Raúl Torrez (D) declined our invitation for an interview citing his schedule.
KC Counts:
Why don't you talk about the role of the state attorney general as you see it?
Samuel Kane:
So the New Mexico attorney general is the chief law enforcement officer over the state. And so our role would be we're over the administration of justice at the district court judge level, over the prosecutors, over the law enforcement We're also that office is oversees environmental issues, water conservation, the quality of our air. There's a civil component as well, which is making sure that there's no Medicaid fraud, just fraud in general.
KC Counts:
Why are you the most qualified candidate to serve as Attorney General?
Samuel Kane:
I think my experience really sets me apart. I've been a private attorney for going on 24 years now, and I've always represented disadvantaged folks. We've done just about everything, you know, when you're in a small town. And I think just having the practical experience and wanting to put New Mexico first and focus on issues that pertain to all of us, all of us living in this state. And I think You know, just doing that, we could bring the crime rate down. Right now, we're number one nationally in property. We're number two in violent crimes. The homicide rate, of course, is tracking down nationally, and we're ranking third and, you know, we're third overall. And so I think what's happening right now is we have an extreme focus on issues that are sort of federal in nature. And my goal is to devote all of the resources to issues that are impacting us. I think we've got enough problems of our own that we need to start focusing on.
KC Counts:
As chief legal counsel to the executive branch in state agencies like CYFD, how do you characterize your role in the department's failure or success?
Samuel Kane:
Well, I think a more hands-on approach is needed. And we've done, we do all, I shouldn't say all, but we do a lot of CYFD's adoptions here in our office. And so I think there's a systematic failure that we've got, but I think it's not, I think it gets blown out of proportion I think it could be resolved very easily with the more hands-on approach dealing with the all the way from the top down to the bottom.
KC Counts:
One role of the AG is to enforce state consumer protection laws. Describe an example of what needs exist in this area and how you plan to respond.
Samuel Kane:
So one of the things that I've been talking about extensively is our utility rates. And of course, every year it seems like our rates are going higher and higher and higher. And there's virtually, there hasn't been any involvement from until recently, but there really hasn't been any involvement. And any time there's a proposed rate increase, I plan on fighting it. And it seems like our services are getting disconnected, of course during the summer. And so that's an area that I could get in, you know, work on to help people's lives a little bit easier with making sure that, you know, that whenever there's a proposed rate increase, that I fight it. I don't care if it's a 10 cent increase. Every time we get one of those, it's going to be challenged and so that's one area that that we've been focusing on the other area is making sure our environmental environment stays the same as you know New Mexico is incredibly beautiful mountains trails rivers and you know a lot of New Mexico New Mexicans want to keep it the same and we're seeing the influx of data centers, particularly Project Jupiter. And that's something that I think could have been handled at the permitting process, as They're going to have a 50-year tax exemption. And of course, the air quality of the carbon monoxide that it's producing, the draw on our electric grid, the water, and that's an area where I will tell you that those things will be handled any time an application for a new data center gets submitted, it will be on my desk. We will scrutinize it very heavily to make sure that the community has more transparency. You know, one question is with Project Jupiter is why wasn't there, in addition to the data center, you know, let's require them to put in a public park. Santa Teresa could use one, really nice park, pond, you know, with lots of trees. to counteract the amount of carbon monoxide that it's producing.
KC Counts:
Well, you're overlapping into my next question, so maybe we could move on now. The state attorney general, of course, leads enforcement of environmental and natural resource matters. So what is your top priority on these matters?
Samuel Kane:
Well, like I was saying, I mean, we're going to treat everyone equally, right? We're not going to give gas and oil a pass. And we're certainly not going to allow data centers to come in and essentially not get a free ride. These are billion dollar companies and there was no reason for the tax exemption that they received. And so yeah, there's going to be a huge difference there with how I'm going to handle that. You know, what we're seeing with the current attorney general is going back to CYFD is there's, you know, Whenever there's problems and the problems start to increase and you have one death, two deaths, three deaths, all the way up to 17, and then you have a lawsuit being filed and you have a press release. And that's not gonna be my way of handling it. There's no need for a press release. There's no need for a lawsuit. It's gonna be addressed immediately. And I would tell you what we've got with Project Jupiter here, it would have never happened. That would have never been allowed. And of course, I'm not the final say in that, but I would have thought it extremely heavily to keep that out of here.
KC Counts:
Anything else to add on environmental and natural resources before we move on?
Samuel Kane:
I think that's the biggest issue on my radar right now. But like I said, we're not going to single them out. We're going to make sure that gas and oil are also being held to an environmentally friendly standard.
KC Counts:
All right. The state attorney general is responsible for litigating civil rights cases and those involving vulnerable populations. Do you support the state's Civil Rights Act as an appropriate tool for this issue? And why or why not?
Samuel Kane:
I do. I do. I actually support and I'm a big proponent of civil rights. In fact, I don't know if you've looked at our website, but we're, you know, we're against flock cameras. You know, I'm a traditional Abraham Lincoln Republican, which I believe in less government or personal responsibility. And that's across the board, right? It's across the board for an overreach of whether it's a state law enforcement or federal law enforcement. And I've always believed that, you know, God us all equally and you know people regardless of of race nationality or even citizenship they need to be treated respectfully and you know as one of as one of God's children and so that's an area that I will tell you and I think I could actually do more than what's happening right now and not you know with with with the whole the way the immigration is being handled, if you consider the amount of resources that are being used to fight ICE, we could take those resources and, you know, this would be, of course, if the government allowed it and just open up a branch where we would allow folks that have lived here for, you know, 10, 20, 25 years and, and, you know, they let their visas expire, uh, somebody's uncle, somebody's mom, and I think we could, you look, it's not hard to fill out the application and just do it the right way. And I think the Attorney General's office, of course, under the direction of the governor, could create something to where we actually are helping. We're helping folks that might have, you know, might have come over with a work visa, might have come over with a, you know, a travel visa or even a student visa. And they've made their lives here and they've had children, you know, working they're contributing members you know to our society and I think that would be an area that I that the Attorney General again if you know with the resources that we're we're spending to fight the Trump administration we could just as well easily divert those resources and actually make a difference in people's lives and that's not to say that I'm not you know I'm not in favor of a legal process of coming over you know we're a nation of laws and we're also a nation of immigrants and We have to do it in a way, a very respectful way.
KC Counts:
And finally, what else should voters know about you or your campaign ahead of election day?
Samuel Kane:
Well, like I said, I've lived here in Las Cruces. I got here in 2003. I wasn't born in New Mexico. I got here as quickly as I could. And we've developed a solid reputation of putting other people first, you know, living by the golden rule, treating everyone how we would want to be treated and just showing up to work, doing what you say you're going to do. And that's what I plan on doing. I've been campaigning on, you know, a few issues and I fully intend, if elected, on carrying out with what I've talking about.
KC Counts:
All right. Samuel Kane, candidate for State Attorney General, thank you very much for sharing this time with us. We appreciate it.
Samuel Kane:
Thank you.
