Democrat Felecia Rotellini, who narrowly lost to Tom Horne in the 2010 race for Arizona Attorney General and who has already announced plans to seek the office in 2014, said today that Horne wasting tax dollars and infringing on personal liberty by threatening to sue the town of Bisbee over the council's recent decision to recognize same-sex civil unions. Rotellini's statement:

Arizonans have every reason to be disappointed by Tom Horne's latest political ploy, threatening a lawsuit against the City of Bisbee for its recent passage of a city ordinance recognizing civil unions. Bisbee's City Charter grants it all of the express or implied powers and authority which are not prohibited by Arizona's constitution—and the constitution is silent on the matter of civil unions.

The people of Bisbee have the right to make their own decisions without interference from the legislature or an Attorney General who continues to be dogged by allegations that he violated the very laws which he is supposed to enforce.

Arizonans take our personal liberty seriously. We do not expect to have it infringed upon by grandstanding politicians. Government should take a step back from the private lives of its citizens. And the Attorney General should show more respect for the people's authority to govern themselves, and stop wasting tax dollars on frivolous lawsuits. When I am Attorney General, I will focus on getting criminals off the streets and will use tax dollars to protect and serve Arizona.