(Editor's note: Below is a column by Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine. Please advise if any additional information is required.)
This week marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of our 40th president, Ronald Reagan, whose wit and wisdom have inspired countless Americans.
I was honored to serve in Congress when President Reagan was in office. I watched six of his State of the Union addresses as he delivered them in the U.S. House Chamber and saw first-hand his unparalleled leadership and communication skills.
Our daughter Alice was just 7 days old when I was sworn in to my first term in Congress and we first moved to Washington D.C. During the first week in legislative session, President Reagan invited the new members of Congress to the White House for dinner. Because Alice was so young, my wife, Fran, asked if she could bring Alice along.
President Reagan gazed adoringly at little Alice in the receiving line and after dinner, he personally greeted us and posed for pictures. His graciousness was inspiring.
As a congressman, I rode with him on Air Force One from Washington to Wright Patterson Air Force Base. Knowing we were in my congressional district, President Reagan called me forward, and we disembarked Air Force One together -- an honor usually reserved for the First Lady, who was not there.
Like President Reagan, I am an optimist. He once said, “While I take inspiration from the past … I live for the future.” I couldn’t agree more.
I am excited about the future of our state. Without question, Ohio has faced its share of difficulties. But through those trials come amazing opportunities -- and responsibilities -- to create a new Ohio and a bright, promising and safe future for our children and grandchildren -- much like the “shining city on a hill” to which President Reagan often referred when talking about our country.
When I took the oath as Ohio’s new attorney general, I swore to protect Ohio families. We owe them that shining city on a hill.
As Ohio Attorney General, I will help crime victims rebuild their lives. I started my career as Greene County prosecutor and have never forgotten the pain and anguish of crime victims and their families -- and I never will.
Because helping local law enforcement to solve crimes as quickly as possible helps expedite justice, I will work to make the Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation the premier crime lab in our nation.
When our aging parents or grandparents are targeted by fly-by-night con artists and scammers, my office will be there to help.
And, when Washington goes too far and encroaches on our Constitutional rights, I will be there to defend Ohio.
I am excited to serve the people of Ohio as the 50th attorney general. As we remember Ronald Reagan on his 100th birthday, his service to our country, and his optimism, let us all remember that Ohio’s best days are yet to come.
Mike DeWine is Ohio attorney general. For updates about the office’s work protecting small businesses and consumers, and for other updates, visit www.OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov/SignUp.
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