“Protecting and upholding the rule of law is my chief goal and at the core of each decision I make as Georgia’s Attorney General.” – Attorney General Chris Carr
There is no more solemn responsibility than to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States, the Constitution and laws of the state of Georgia and the interests of the people of our state.
As Attorney General, Chris works every single day guided by the principles of federalism, the rule of law, free enterprise and common sense.
To ensure that Government remains within its limited powers, the Attorney General’s Office must challenge any actions that overstep proper limits. That means fighting overreach by any Congress and any President and overreach at the state and local levels.
“As Georgia’s Attorney General, I will continue to fiercely protect our citizens against unlawful government overreach.”
Reports of human trafficking have increased steadily in Georgia and nationwide over the past decade.
In addition to standing shoulder-to-shoulder with law enforcement on the front lines of this fight, Chris supports several steps to eliminate this modern-day slavery: education, legislation, and restoration.
He believes that a key requirement for long-term success is to create an environment that is hostile for perpetrators. Immediately after taking office, Chris successfully fought to strengthen laws that target the buyers’ role in this modern-day slavery alongside partners in the Georgia Legislature.
In 2017, Chris was appointed to the National Association of Attorneys General’s Human Trafficking Committee. He also heads the “Demand an End” campaign, which is a partnership with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and StreetGrace, a Georgia-based non-profit organization. This nationwide effort serves to increase public awareness through state attorneys general offices that this horrific behavior is fueled by demand, an issue that Chris successfully tackled head-on.
Under Chris’s leadership, the Office of the Attorney General will continue to partner with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, State Patrol, local law enforcement officials, the private sector and non-profit groups to educate our law enforcement officers, prosecutors, judges, school counselors, social workers, healthcare providers and the community on this crisis.
“I have a 14-year-old daughter and a stepdaughter who’s in college, so this issue hits home for me. We cannot stop until this horrific crime is brought to an end.”
We cannot allow abuse of our older and at-risk adults – whether physical, emotional, financial or by neglect – to continue. These crimes are particularly devastating when perpetrated by a family member, and reports show that a shocking 90 percent of elder abuse offenses are committed by a relative.
As Attorney General, Chris is committed to cracking down on abuse of Georgia’s elders and has announced multiple prosecutions of these criminal activities. Chris will continue to investigate and prosecute anyone engaging in these criminal activities, seeking justice for those who cannot advocate for themselves.
America’s biggest drug problem isn’t only on our streets — it’s also in our medicine cabinets. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has officially declared prescription drug abuse as a national epidemic. In the past decade, prescription opioid overdose deaths in Georgia increased tenfold, and 55 Georgia counties have an overdose rate higher than the national average. What’s more, 60 percent of those 55 counties are located in rural areas.
Drug addiction knows no boundaries and excludes no demographic.
As Attorney General, Chris created Georgia’s Statewide Opioid Task Force that now includes more than 150 public, private and non-profit entities that are working together to close gaps and save lives. He is steadfastly committed to raising awareness and fighting substance abuse.
Chris takes the Office of the Attorney General’s anti-drug campaign slogan, “We’re Not Gonna Take It,” to heart, and he is involving Georgia’s youth to help spread awareness and join the fight.
When Chris served as Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Development, the state of Georgia was recognized as the “number one state for business” three years in a row. Chris is a firm believer in the power of the private sector and understands that a consistent, predictable and reliable legal environment is crucial for the values of capitalism and pro-growth policies to flourish.
Companies choose Georgia for many reasons, and one big reason is that our state and local governments are seen as partners to the business community, rather than adversaries.
While Chris continues his efforts to bolster the economic success Georgia has seen over the past five years, Chris is committed to protecting consumers from criminals who engage in illegal and harmful practices – including cyber crime – and will ensure they face consequences for their actions.
Those who hold public office are servants of the people, and they are the trustees of the people’s business.
Under Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr’s leadership, the Georgia Department of Law is conducting an Open Government Tour across the state to educate officials on their responsibilities to the public under the Open Records Act and the Open and Public Meetings Act.
Chris’s office has already conducted 14 presentations as part of the Open Government Tour for more than 500 people from across the state.
“For our representative republic to best function, we must ensure that the citizens know what their public officials are doing.”
As Georgia’s Attorney General, Chris has firsthand knowledge of the impact that criminal gangs can have on our state – from funding and human trafficking to identity theft and cyber crimes.
A believer in the strength of federal, state and local partnerships, Chris and the Department of Law work closely with Georgia’s sheriffs, police chiefs, and district attorneys as well as Georgia’s U.S. Attorneys, the Georgia Department of Public Safety, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Georgia Department of Corrections, the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, and Prosecuting Attorneys Council of Georgia to keep our state safe from organized criminal activity.
Chris believes that the greatest impact can be felt when we work together.