AG candidate Peterson makes stop in Sidney to discuss issues

Nebraska Attorney General candidate Doug Peterson made a stop in Sidney on Monday to discuss the upcoming election.

Peterson won the Nebraska Republican primary, leading all candidates with 37.5 percent of the vote.

Peterson said that his 24 years in private law practice and extensive litigation experience should help in office

“That’s where I think my experience – as opposed to my opponent – is real critical,” Peterson said. “Federal court is just a different animal than your state or district court. That experience is just important to properly advocate for the people of Nebraska.”

Peterson, a Republican, will face off against Democrat Janet Stewart in the Nov. 4 general election.

Peterson has practiced law for nearly three decades. He has also served as deputy county attorney for two years in North Platte, as well as three years as an assistant attorney general.

“The attorney general is the chief law enforcement officer for the state of Nebraska, so having worked in those two offices I have a better sense of the importance of that position,” Peterson said.

Peterson also had a take on the growing problem of drug trafficking particularly as it pertains to marijuana stemming from the state of Colorado. This is an issue that has a lot of citizens worried and perplexed.

“Because of the cost being incurred by the surrounding states, there is some talk among attorney generals to take some legal action,” he said. “There are some legal theories that we think are viable because the effect on surrounding states is significant. The cost effect of having to arrest, prosecute, store this drug is even making it to Omaha.”

Peterson knows the fact that people will go to Colorado and buy large volumes of marijuana then bring it back to Nebraska concerns normal citizens as well as law enforcement alike.

“It has created all types of law enforcement headaches for us, particularly in the surrounding states. I think the litigation amongst attorneys will be effective, but the problem is that it will take three to five years. Meanwhile, the attorney general’s office is applying support for the surrounding areas such as prosecutors to address the short term problem.”

One issue Peterson would like to tackle is the sentencing issue that has arisen with the Department of Corrections. Whether or not the attorneys working in that department should be overseen by the attorney generals office is a question he said he’s run into frequently during his campaign.

“I think they should (be overseen by the AG). I think the law enforcement task that the attorney generals office does really have a lot of crossover to what corrections has been responsible for doing,” Peterson said. “That is an immediate issue that is front and center for the state because there has been serious miscalculation of sentences.”

Another issue Peterson wants to address is the EPA and broadening the definition of clean water or navigable water under the clean water act.

“The clean water act has been around since the 70s, but what they’re doing is their taking regulations to broaden the scope of what is considered navigable waters,” Peterson said. “It’s not based upon environmental issues from what I can see. I can’t see any evidence that there’s an environmental risk occurring. It’s purely based on gathering more control.”

Peterson said he feels if the federal government is allowed to broaden the scope it gives them more power, and that’s a significant concern to state governments.

Peterson also feels the laws and penalties for human trafficking are way too weak. He would like to strengthen these laws to prevent such crimes from happening in Nebraska.

“The I-80 corridor provides business in that area, but a lot of the human trafficking and sex trafficking cases occur through the internet,” said Peterson. “We need to straighten Nebraska laws to deter that type of behavior.”

Peterson was born in Columbus, Neb. He graduated from the University of Nebraska in 1981 with a bachelor’s degree in administration. He graduated from Pepperdine University’s Law School in 1985.