Steve Marshall, the former longtime district attorney of Marshall County, was sworn in to a full term as Alabama's Attorney General on Monday.
In his inaugural remarks, Marshall vowed to uphold the laws of Alabama and make the pursuit and prosecution of violent criminals one of his top priorities.Â
Here's the full text of his remarks:
Governor Ivey. Fellow citizens.
It is an honor to serve you as the 48th Attorney General of the great state of Alabama.
This is a solemn occasion, and a fitting one to reflect upon the duties of the office I hold. The laws of this state give the Attorney General dual responsibilities:
One, the Attorney General serves as the state's chief legal counsel.
Two, the Attorney General serves as the state's chief law enforcement officer.
We have been blessed by our Founders to live in a democracy, a representative democracy. You, the people of Alabama, through your representatives, decide what the laws of our state will be. I, as the attorney for the State of Alabama, defend those laws against those who would suppress your voice.
This a serious, weighty responsibility, because the sovereignty of the State of Alabama depends upon it. The people must have a zealous advocate in the courtroom to defend their duly-enacted laws.
While defending Alabama's laws protects her sovereignty, enforcing Alabama's laws protects her people.
It has been said that the highest duty of government is to protect the people. Indeed, the first civil right of every citizen of Alabama is to be free from the fear of violence. As Alabama's chief law enforcement officer, fulfilling that responsibility starts with me.
Working hand-in-hand with the brave men and women of state and local law enforcement, we have targeted violent crime across our state. Our unrelenting efforts have already put hundreds of violent offenders behind bars. And we've only just begun.
I come to work each day with a mandate from the people to hold criminals accountable in the pursuit of justice.
I will never back down from enforcing the laws of this state. No matter the situation. No matter the consequences. Likewise, I will never use the law as the means to political ends, nor will I confuse the idea of law and the fact of power.
My loyalty can be only To. The. Law. Itself
In my 20-year career as a prosecutor, I have never backed down from a fight.
I pledge to always fight for you, for your laws, and for your safety.
Every single day that I have the honor to serve as your Attorney General, these are the things I will fight for and I will fight for them without end. So help me God.
Thank you. God bless you, and may God continue to bless the great state of Alabama
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