The following is the text of the speech delivered by Mike Aguirre at his first campaign press conference, officially announcing his candidacy. Mike was introduced by Lionel Van Deerlin.

It put me in mind of the kid who asks a barber how long he must wait for a shave. The barber looks him up and down before replying, "Oh, I’d say about four years!"

Mike has matured in many ways. And it’s no knock on anyone else in this race to say I believe he is eminently fitted at this point in his life to take on the extraordinary responsibilities of district attorney.

Why? Obviously, it might be less embarrassing for a candidate to leave the room when the discussion turns to his qualifications. In Mike’s case, though, we should let the guy stick around. As his friends know, if Mike has one failing it is his overwhelming humility. I aim to buck up his feeling of self worth.

And, first – the guy is bright. I don’t mean just bright, he is brilliant. Do you know anyone who takes a set of facts and puts them toward a logical conclusion any faster than Mike does? And most often, it will be the right conclusion.

As a prosecutor, he will be sure of his cases. He won’t be easy to fool – either by his own staff or the opposition.

Second, Mike is aggressive. No namby-pamby, he. You have a feeling that with this man in charge, fewer important cases will be kissed off in lazy plea bargains.

His kind of determination can mean difficult choices, sometimes bucking many of those around you. But Mike Aguirre has learned that when you stand alone, you are not alone. When you speak out and act alone in America, you are more a part of this land, more a source of its strength than are the multitude who join in silence.

Finally, Mike is honest – scrupulously so. I doubt that many San Diegans have been investigated more thoroughly by legal or political rivals. They have turned up nothing against him, because there is noting to turn up. He won’t always be right – but when he’s wrong, it won’t be for the wrong reasons. Here is one man you know whose friendship will never embarrass you.

There you have it – bright, aggressive and squeaky clean. Our kind of D. A.

So what are waiting for? Let’s elect him!

On March 5 of 2002 the people of San Diego County begin the process of electing its top law enforcement officer - the District Attorney of San Diego County.

I believe the stakes in this election could not be higher. In recent history the job of District Attorney has never been tougher than it is today. Never has San Diego needed a strong District Attorney more than we do right now.

Let me tell you why.

Each and every day countless criminals are looking for new ways to prey on society. Whether it's the drug dealer on the corner of Euclid, the rapist in Hillcrest, or the car thief or murderer turning our dreams into nightmares, we are all victims to one crime or another. We may not be directly affected but we are still victims because when one of us is hurt we all are hurt.

The District Attorney must continually fight dozens of other battles: spouses who batter women, companies who cheat consumers and prey on the elderly and multinational corporations who pollute our environment then hire the best lawyers in the world to help them get away with it. Today, we have new criminals amongst us exploiting children on the Internet, engaging in cyber crime and ID theft. These crimes have no borders and we must be vigilant in stamping them out.

Today, now more than ever, the District Attorney must set the ethical tone for the County by prosecuting those who betray the public trust and by setting the standard by which all of our citizens can follow.

For 27 years I have fought to make San Diego County a better place to live and work. I have fought to bring those forgotten members of our society into the mainstream.

Together we have used the law to empower the people of our City and County. Together we used the law to bring about district elections and a citizen controlled redistricting process and together we used our lawful rights as citizens to object to the Chargers ticket guarantee and to clean up Convair Lagoon.

As an assistant United States Attorney and as counsel to thousands of San Diegans, many of whom are in the audience today, I have fought against corruption for almost three decades. J. David Dominelli, Common Sense Capital, American Principals Holding, First Pension, and Pioneer Mortgage are just some of the fraud, cases in which I have represented victims who needed protection by a system which failed them.

We now face a new form of corruption. It may not always be visible and people will call it by other names but the crisis of confidence and ethical lapses that currently have engulfed the District Attorney's office is corruption no less. Corruption at the highest level of law enforcement hurts all of us and we must resolve to stop it. No one is above the law, especially those charged with enforcing it.

We cannot have Deputy DA's engaging in "orchestrated attempts" to mislead a court.

We cannot have the head of the District Attorney's Fraud Unit convicted for theft of public funds.

We cannot have a District Attorney who had full knowledge of these actions.

And we cannot reward misconduct, retaliation and these kinds of ethical transgressions in the office of the District Attorney.

The people of San Diego County expect more of their chief law enforcement officer and will not tolerate such conduct. We will not accept it as an unchangeable fact. We will not help to perpetuate it. We want a disciplined attack on the problem and we want our top law enforcement official to lead by example.

Today, I am announcing my candidacy for District Attorney for San Diego County. I seek to unite an alliance of all who are intent upon reforming the District's Attorney's office.

I believe with the challenges we face the District Attorney's office should be a beacon of hope for all who want justice and demand fairness. It's a serious responsibility and deserves someone with a serious commitment to the job at hand. I'm ready to put my considerable criminal justice experience and independence to work for the people of San Diego.

I'm committed to hiring the smartest, most talented, most creative and most dedicated lawyers in the County-regardless of whether they are men, women, black, white, Hispanic or Asian.

I'm going to make the District Attorney's office the best law firm and toughest crime fighting team in all of California. And from day one we are going to do battle on every front.

We're going to lead the fight against drugs.

We're going to have strict and tough enforcement of food safety laws.

We're going to protect a women's right to choose.

We're going to fight cyber crime, ID theft and give people their privacy back.

We're going to use the office to insure that our schools and workplaces are drug free, tobacco free and gun free.

We're going to take on every company that pollutes our environment or rips off our consumers - no matter how good their intentions or how large their political contributions.

I will work with the enthusiastic and talented Deputy DA's, Investigators and staff and together we will restore integrity and ethics back into the District Attorney's office by working harder and trusting in each other.

My vision for the District Attorney's office is that it be the best law firm in California, doing the work of the people, independent of any special interest, fighting for all of us.

Once again my name is Mike Aguirre and I'm running for District Attorney.