Has four children. Ferguson is a fourth generation Washingtonian, born into a large family in Queen Ann Hill. In his spare time Matt enjoys bike riding and kayaking with his family, coaching his kids in YMCA youth basketball, and little league baseball. Matt Larkin (Republican Party) ran for election for Attorney General of Washington. He is one of seven children and an internationally-rated chess champion. Answer: Yes, but allow churches the right to refuse same-sex ceremonies. Father of four. While another elective office, county prosecutor, has the primary responsibility for criminal prosecutions, Larkin said he’s running for attorney general because he’s concerned about the entire state. Brett Rogers, left, Mike Vaska, center, and Matt Larkin are the GOP candidates for Washington State Attorney General. O’Brien said later he had no specific recollection of Larkin’s work, but that externs were allowed to do some District Court work by themselves “after an appropriate period of supervision.”. Ferguson counters his office isn’t partisan, as proof noting after he was first elected, he kept top attorneys appointed by his predecessor, Republican Rob McKenna, including a chief deputy Trump named U.S. attorney for Western Washington. Taking President Donald Trump to court, over and over again, seems to have paid dividends at the ballot box for Attorney General Bob Ferguson. Business Owner. Click here to read the survey answers. “You get into slippery slopes.”. He also worked in the White House as an Associate Director of Presidential Speech Writing. Larkin completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. Attorney General Bob Ferguson enjoys wide lead over Republican challenger Matt Larkin A majority of Washingtonians want to keep incumbent Democratic Attorney General Bob Ferguson on the job for a third term, a survey conducted for the Northwest Progressive Institute has found. But, he said, the number of cases pursued by Ferguson points to a partisan bent. He is a veteran attorney licensed to practice law in Washington and Oregon. One of the main duties of the AG’s office is defending state officials, agencies and legislation in court. Matt Larkin, a lifelong Washington resident, lives in Woodinville with his wife Shelly and their 4 small children. Elected attorney general in 2012, re-elected 2016. Earned bachelor’s in political and social sciences at Westmont College in 2004. He was critical of … Brett Rogers, left, Mike Vaska, center, and Matt Larkin are the GOP candidates for Washington State Attorney General, running against incumbent Bob Ferguson. The Columbian Editorial … Those challenges of Trump policies help explain why four years ago he faced no GOP opponent for one of the state’s top elective offices but this year had three Republican challengers. I would hope they would.”. Robert Watson Ferguson is an American lawyer and politician serving as the 18th “Tell that to a Dreamer: ‘Hey 18,000 Dreamers in Washington state, let some other state handle that. According the the Public Disclosure Commission, as of July 29, Ferguson raised $ 3,529,051, Larkin raised $263,305, and Vaska raised $212,749. Even in cases where Ferguson was on the winning side, such as a lawsuit to protect the rights of so-called Dreamers who were brought to the United States as small children and want to stay, Larkin said he would have kept Washington out if other states were involved. Matt Larkin, the third challenger in the race, argued an attorney general has limited resources and should make better choices in cases. Education: Graduated from King’s High School in 2000. Ferguson said his office provides prosecutors to counties when asked, and recently handled a murder case in Ferry County and has a case involving sexual misconduct charges against a sitting judge in Asotin County. The … Matt Larkin, a Republican who lives with his young family in Woodinville, plans to run for Washington State Attorney General. In this edition, we interview the candidates for state Attorney General -- the incumbent Bob Ferguson (D) and his Republican challenger Matt Larkin. At campaign events, Larkin has suggested Ferguson “never had a real job,” something the incumbent countered by saying he’s worked at a range of jobs, from dishwasher to educator, and that Larkin is denigrating that work. “I’m running because, like a lot of people in this state, I’m frustrated,” Larkin said in the virtual debate. He lost in the general election on November 3, 2020. “You can’t violate the law to further your political views,” he said. Larkin defended the description, saying he did some courtroom work by himself as a Gonzaga extern and mentioned his supervisor, Brian O’Brien. “There were 14 other states,” Larkin said of the Dreamers case. All primary election candidates were given 48-hours to submit their answers. While we cannot interpret the firearms laws for you or give you legal advice, there are a few ways in which the Washington Attorney General’s Office is involved in this area of the law. Washington’s crime rate has fluctuated between 2013 and 2019, the last year for which full statistics exist, but has tracked national trends and stayed consistently below the national rate, data from the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs show. Larkin has appeared at rallies with larger crowds than those restrictions allow, where most people didn’t wear masks. Earned bachelor’s from the University of Washington and law degree from New York University. Larkin acknowledged state law only allows the attorney general’s office to intervene in such cases if the local prosecuting attorney or the governor asks. Former Pierce County deputy prosecutor, former assistant director of presidential speech writing for George W. Bush; former student extern for Spokane County prosecutor’s office. Former Washington State Attorney General … For law enforcement officials who say they won’t enforce it – which Culp, the Republic police chief, has said ever since the initiative passed – Larkin said those officials have the discretion to decide what laws to enforce and exercise it all the time. He would ask the Legislature to pass a law giving the attorney general’s office the authority to help city prosecutors, something it currently lacks. Larkin, who has campaigned with GOP gubernatorial candidate Loren Culp, said he could defend Initiative 1639, adding new gun-control restrictions, though he disagrees with it. Those requests typically come from rural counties with small offices facing big cases, like a murder. Bob Ferguson, left, and Matt Larkin (Courtesy photos) The two candidates running for Washington state attorney general hold divergent philosophies about what the office ought to do. In his eight years, Ferguson has significantly expanded the consumer protection office and scored major victories, including against Comcast for improper charges, Johnson & Johnson for failing to describe the risks of its transvaginal mesh devices, and Monsanto for PCB damage. Larkin accused Ferguson of seeking favorable venues for some cases, like a recent suit against changes in the U.S. He said the state would benefit from an attorney general with the “fresh perspective of a business owner,” one who is not a “career politician.”. Republican Matt Larkin is challenging Democratic incumbent Bob Ferguson for Washington's Attorney General. Former Washington State Attorney General Candidate. Jay Inslee. October 09, 2020 01:30 PM. Of the 36 Trump administration challenges that have been decided, Ferguson’s office is 35-1. Work experience: Attorney in private practice for Romac Industries, a family manufacturing business. Recently, he’s been a business development manager and chief legal counsel for Romac Industries in Bothell. At campaign rallies, Larkin gets cheers when he tells the crowd the incumbent is focused on suing Trump when he should be doing something about crime. 1125 Washington St SE • PO Box 40100 • Olympia, WA 98504 • (360) 753-6200 OFFICE HOURS: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Monday - Friday Closed Weekends & State Holidays “Let those states fight these battles.”. It would help overwhelmed local prosecutors and reduce the crime rate, he said. The Larkin Family are … Matt Larkin voters. Ferguson also said Larkin overstates his experience as a prosecutor in Spokane and Pierce counties. SEATTLE, WA — Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson has a comfortable lead in the August 2020 Primary Election, placing him in a strong position to advance to the November election. Washington has 12 electoral votes for the presidential election, remaining unchanged from 2016. Matt Larkin of Woodinville, an attorney for his family’s manufacturing firm, emerged from the primary. Watch the one-on-one interview with Matt Larkin, Republican candidate for Washington Attorney General. Gifts processed in this system are not tax deductible, but are predominately used to help meet the local financial requirements needed to receive national matching-grant funds. Get the day’s latest Coronavirus news delivered to your inbox by subscribing to our newsletter. Matt Larkin, a Republican who lives with his young family in Woodinville, plans to run for Washington State Attorney General. Matt Larkin, the third challenger in the race, argued an attorney general has limited resources and should make better choices in cases. A lawsuit against major opioid distributors is scheduled for next spring. “I think there’s always a time and a place to sue the federal government,” Larkin said later. Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. Washington state Attorney General candidates Ferguson, Larkin introduce themselves. In every case he files, the state has to prove the potential harm to its people or environment or have the lawsuit dismissed. Father of four. Amber Webber lost her job when COVID-19 hit Washington early last year. He was critical of … Larkin, who spoke with … Larkin served as student volunteer known as an “extern” in the Spokane County prosecutor’s office while at Gonzaga, so he would have needed supervision by an attorney, and only worked for about two months in Pierce County as a deputy prosecutor before leaving to help with the family business. Business Owner. Learn more about the financing of the political process at The Washington State Public Disclosure Commission. Someone running for attorney general also should follow state laws, Ferguson said, and that includes the current restrictions on gatherings and requirements for wearing face coverings that are part of the emergency orders issued by Gov. The Washington Attorney General’s Office has a limited role with regard to Washington’s firearms laws. Education: Graduated from Bishop Blanchette High School in Seattle in 1983. Ferguson countered that Larkin apparently doesn’t understand how the court system works, because the judges for the Eastern District of Washington assigned the case to Yakima. Work experience: Law clerk for U.S. District Judge Frem Nielsen in Spokane and 8th Circuit Court of Appeals; attorney at Preston Gates Ellis. “People don’t feel safe in their neighborhoods,” he said. That’s causing businesses to move out of cities, including Spokane, he told a Republican women’s meeting recently. “I would train up a team of prosecutors willing and able to assist,” he said, then send out the word statewide: “We’re here. Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson, who has taken on the Trump administration 80 times in four years, faces GOP challenger Matt Larkin. Family: Married to Colleen Ferguson. Family: Married to Shelly Larkin. Larkin, who spoke with the Jason Rantz Show on 770 AM KTTH, is a former deputy prosecutor in Pierce County. During eight years as Washington’s attorney general, Democrat Bob Ferguson has vociferously defended the state’s residents. By. Ask someone outside of Washington to name one of its statewide elected officials other than its governor, and chances are they’ll say Attorney General Bob Ferguson. In all, the office has collected more than $650 million in payments, more than half of which went to consumers and more than $100 million of which went into the state’s General Fund. The lawsuits are necessary to protect the rights of Washington residents on issues important to the state, including immigration, a clean environment and defense spending, Ferguson said. The 2020 Democratic primary was the first in the state's history to have a binding vote, replacing the caucus system that overrode the nonbinding primary vote. Larkin said that if elected, he would seek to expand the number of criminal prosecutors in the office and offer help to county prosecutors, who are responsible for bringing criminal suspects to trial. He says he’s a strong supporter of the president and his efforts to reduce taxes, cut regulations and shrink government. Earned law degree from Gonzaga Law School in 2007. Initiative 1639 In November 2018, the voters of Washington adopted Initiative 1639, which Matthew P Larkin Campaign For Attorney General, 2020. He left his home state to attend law sch… A presidential primary for both parties was held on March 10, 2020, with 13 candidates for the Democrats and one candidate for the Republicans. Former Washington State Attorney General Candidate. “What I struggle with is them openly saying it, because it is a dangerous precedent,” he said. A total of four candidates are vying to be the next Washington State Attorney General. He graduated from New York University Law School, clerked for U.S. District Judge Frem Nielsen in Spokane and was a member of a large Seattle law firm before serving on the King County Council. Matt Larkin of Woodinville, an attorney for his family’s manufacturing firm, emerged from the primary. 103 talking about this. Larkin, a Gonzaga Law School graduate who also has a masters of law degree from George Washington University, served in the George W. Bush White House and currently works as legal counsel for his family’s pipe manufacturing company. Asked for statistics on businesses leaving Spokane, which local economists said they were unaware of, Larkin backed off, claiming he didn’t recall mentioning Spokane, but has talked to business owners who say they are leaving Seattle. We’re standing by the phone. Despite the state's Democratic leanings, Republicans have three candidates vying to take him on: Matt Larkin, a former White House aide under President George W. Bush; Brett Rogers, a former police officer and correctional officer; and GOP activist Mike Vaska. Paid for by Matt Larkin for Attorney General (R) P.O. Campaign finances: Raised almost $387,000 as of Sept. 29, with $70,000 in personal funds and $4,000 maximum contributions from 12 donors including family members and Romac Industries. Postal Service handled in Yakima, which resulted in a nationwide order blocking the changes. Importance: Least Important. Matt’s experience working as a prosecutor in Spokane and Pierce counties and as the general counsel for his family’s manufacturing business in Bothell, which employs over 550 people, well equips him to run the office of the attorney general efficiently. Political experience: Elected King County Council 2003, re-elected 2007. Earned Master of Law from George Washington University in 2009. I think they would call. Bob Ferguson Defeats Matt Larkin in Washington State Attorney General Election Results ... Matt Larkin, with 59% of Tuesday night's vote count, to Larkin's 41%. 113 talking about this. This candidate’s support base disagrees with their political party on this issue. Has two children. I hope it works out well,’ ” he said. Campaign finances: Raised almost $4 million as of Sept. 29, with $4,000 maximum contributions from at least 43 individuals or groups, including the Spokane Firefighters Union, state Auto Dealers PAC, Building and Construction Trades PAC, state Medical PAC and Democratic Attorneys General Association. 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