Character Matters More Than Ever
Arizona Republicans face an important choice in the primary to nominate a candidate for Attorney General. The office is not merely another political position. The Attorney General serves as Arizona’s chief legal officer, directs the Department of Law, prosecutes cases, issues legal opinions, and exercises enormous power over the lives of Arizona citizens.
That is why Rodney Glassman deserves to be Attorney General .
Rodney is a lieutenant colonel in the United States Air Force. He has spent seventeen years serving as a Judge Advocate General officer, prosecuting cases, managing attorneys, and practicing law in service to our nation.
Arizona law states that the Attorney General “shall have been for not less than five years immediately preceding the date of taking office a practicing attorney before the supreme court of the state.” A.R.S. § 41-191. To be fair, there is legal authority suggesting that requirement may not be enforceable. See State ex rel. Sawyer v. LaSota. But that is not the point.
The statute reflects a commonsense principle: Arizona’s chief law enforcement officer should possess substantial legal experience before assuming office. Something Glassman’s opponent, Warren Petersen, does not have.
When I raised that issue in an Arizona Capitol Times op-ed, Petersen’s campaign manager filed a frivolous bar complaint against me, which was immediately dismissed. Petersen is a hypocrite. He publicly supported rule changes designed to curb baseless, politically motivated bar complaints, then did just that to attack a critic.
If Petersen is willing to weaponize a professional disciplinary process against a private citizen over an op-ed, voters should think carefully before entrusting him with the immense powers of the Attorney General’s office.
Petersen claims “over a decade of broad legal experience” in his statement published in the Arizona Clean Elections pamphlet. His website says he “passed the state bar exam in 2020.” Yet the State Bar of Arizona shows he was not admitted to practice until December 2023, and there is no record that he has never represented a client. So where does this decade of experience come from?
While Petersen claimed President Trump’s support, Rodney is the only candidate for Attorney General whose endorsement President Trump chose to repost on Truth Social.
Character matters. Arizona’s Attorney General wields enormous power. Voters should not entrust that authority to someone who responds to criticism with retaliation, appears willing to play loose with the facts regarding his own qualifications, and has demonstrated a willingness to abuse the system against political opponents.
Ethical Rule 7.1 prohibits lawyers from making false or misleading statements about their services or qualifications.
Since Petersen believes bar complaints are the appropriate response to disputed statements made during a political campaign, Arizona Republicans may wish to ask the State Bar whether his claim of “over a decade of broad legal experience” complies with Ethical Rule 7.1 while they cast their ballots for Rodney Glassman.
Rodney Glassman has demonstrated service, legal experience, professionalism, and character. Arizona Republicans have a clear choice. Lets vote for the the accomplished military officer, prosecutor, and attorney, not the power hungry career politician.
-Adam M. Trenk, Esq.
Adam Trenk is an attorney licensed in Arizona, Oklahoma, and Kentucky, an entrepreneur, and a former vice mayor of the Town of Cave Creek. The principal of AMT Ventures, LLC, he is an attorney, entrepreneur, and strategic advisor with experience in real estate development, crisis management & communications, and consumer goods and service industries. Adam practiced law full time from 2010 until 2024 during which he developed new practice groups and guided clients through a variety of issues including matters of public policy, zoning, regulatory compliance, government relations, and corporate development.
Disclaimer: The author’s views are their own and do not constitute an endorsement by The Prickly Pear.
