MA - James P. McKenna say's, "he will crack down on illegal aliens"

James P. McKenna, a little-known Republican lawyer hoping to unseat Attorney General Martha Coakley, kicked off his campaign yesterday with a vow to crack down on public corruption and illegal immigration but declined to state his position on another controversial issue that has come before the office, gay marriage.

In a four-minute speech to reporters, followed by a seven-minute question-and-answer session, the first-time candidate appeared by turns passionate and nervous as he sought to appeal to the disgruntled voters who fueled Scott Brown’s upset victory over Coakley in January’s US Senate election.

McKenna, 49, became only the second politician since the 1970s to qualify for the general election ballot as a statewide write-in candidate, after he received more than 10,000 votes in the Septem ber primary.

“It is time to restore trust in our government,’’ the former prosecutor said at the state Republican Party’s headquarters in Boston. “The Beacon Hill boys and girls club is a free-for-all of waste, fraud, and corruption, where holier-than-thou attitudes prevail and the special interests run the show.

“I’ve listened to the people, and they say, ‘No more,’ and I agree.’’

McKenna accused Coakley of “sitting idly by’’ instead of aggressively prosecuting political corruption.

He pledged to target illegal immigrants and criticized Coakley for once saying, “Technically, it’s not illegal to be illegal in Massachusetts.’’

“Along with the people of Massachusetts, I say illegal is illegal,’’ McKenna said. “It is not politically correct to break the law. There is nothing technical about it.’’

Coakley, in an interview, strongly defended her record, rejected several of McKenna’s criticisms, and said she looks forward to a spirited race, including her first debate with McKenna, today on NECN.

“Whether it’s child abuse or kids online or seniors,’’ she said, “I’ll put my record on consumer protection and on public safety — including public corruption — up against anybody.’’

Coakley said she has pursued 40 cases of corruption, including those against public works employees, police officers, and fellow Democrats.

“He’s just flat out wrong,’’ she said of the suggestion that she has looked the other way.

She also said she wants tougher enforcement of illegal immigration laws and supports Secure Communities, a controversial federal program designed to identify and deport illegal immigrants arrested for serious crimes.

“Jim McKenna and I don’t disagree,’’ Coakley said. “This is a serious problem. It needs a federal response.’’

McKenna yesterday also urged Coakley to recuse herself from reviewing the proposed acquisition of Caritas Christi Health Care by a New York buyout firm. He cited a Globe report that Ralph de la Torre, president of Caritas Christi, donated $4,800 to Coakley’s Senate campaign and held a fund-raiser for her at his home.

Coakley said she would not recuse herself from the Caritas case, calling McKenna’s request “a baseless political attack.’’ The donation from de la Torre “was for a different time and place,’’ Coakley said. “I disclosed it. That’s the whole point.’’

McKenna, after delivering his speech, declined to say whether he supports same-sex marriage.

“That’s not really an issue in our campaign,’’ he said. “The law was settled in that regard five years ago now. And that’s not something we’re going to have much to do with in our campaign.’’

He said he would not go to court to overturn laws such as the Defense of Marriage Act, a 1996 federal statute that Coakley successfully challenged on behalf of same-sex married couples from Massachusetts. The law, which a federal judge ruled unconstitutional, defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman.

“With respect to DOMA and every matter like that, we will not try to create policy,’’ McKenna said. “Our objective over the next four years will be to enforce the law.’’

Coakley responded: “This is not about making policy. This is about making sure there’s fairness for people here in Massachusetts’’ who cannot receive Social Security, burial rights, and other federal benefits.

McKenna also defended his voting record. He has voted in most elections over the last decade but did not vote in the 2008 presidential primary and the 2000 presidential primary and general election, according to the Millbury town clerk.

“I’ve done a good job voting, and I’ve worked vigorously on a number of different campaigns,’’ McKenna said. “I’m very proud of my record.’’

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2010/09/30/mckenna_launches_attacks_bid_for_ag/