Mike Crites (R)
COLUMBUS, Ohio (Legal Newsline)-Mike Crities, the Republican candidate for Ohio attorney general, on Tuesday proposed the creation of a small business hotline within the AG's office.
Crites said the hotline, aimed at helping businesses comply with the state's consumer protection laws, would be funded with existing resources within the agency.
"When businesses comply with the law, consumers are protected," Crites said. "Small businesses are a vital part of our state's economy, and this new hotline will serve as a cost-effective way to ensure they are meeting the requirements of Ohio's consumer protection laws."
While the attorney general ought to "aggressively enforce consumer protection laws," litigation is not always the answer, he said, noting that outreach efforts and mediation can often provide the same results at less of a cost to the state.
"To be a business in Ohio doesn't make you an enemy of the state," Crites said. "To the extent that we can help businesses comply with the law through communication and mediation, we want to do that."
Crites added that the hotline would send a message to companies and employers that "Ohio is a good place to locate, create jobs, and do business."
Crities is running for attorney general alongside Democrat Richard Cordray and Robert Owens, an unaffiliated candidate.
They are vying for the two years remaining on former Democratic Attorney General Marc Dann's term. Dann resigned under pressure in mid-May amid scandal.
From Legal Newsline: Reach reporter Chris Rizo at chrisrizo@legalnewsline.com.