Republican Mike Gibbons focuses on cyber crimes

Mike Gibbons said he would focus on cyber predators, identity theft and fraud.

By Kelsey Proud

Published Oct. 3, 2008

A reputation for fairness and a drive to protect Missouri families are things Mike Gibbons said he would bring as the next attorney general of Missouri.

Gibbons is a lifelong resident of Kirkwood, and he grew up there with the law as a constant influence.

This happened through his father's law firm, where he later worked after completing his undergraduate degree at Westminster College and later his law degree from Saint Louis University.

"He is the most honest, most unassuming, most decent person I've ever known," Gibbons said of his father. "And I just really wanted to be the same thing and make a difference for people."

Gibbons' way to make that difference was through the practice of law, and later, his entrance into politics.

"I always wanted to make whatever little corner of the world I was in a little bit better, and certainly through practicing law and being involved in politics you have the opportunity to do that," Gibbons said.

One way Gibbons has tried to improve students' lives is through providing internships in his office as a Missouri state senator. As attorney general, Gibbons said he would continue to reach out.

"I intend to go to the law schools in our state, to try to attract more of the top students to come and work for the attorney general's office, at least for a few years, because there's a lot of cutting edge law being practiced out of the Attorney General's office and it's a great way to get started," Gibbons said.

Gibbons' focus on young people extends to the priority he said he will put on fighting cyber crime by creating a specialized task force, educating the public on how to protect themselves and developing an alert network.

"When we learn of a cyber threat in the state, we can not only just send out a message to the media, but also to individuals alerting them as to the threat and what they can do to protect themselves," Gibbons said.

Gibbons spokesman Caleb Jones said beyond cyber crime, Gibbons would also focus heavily on combating credit card fraud and personal identity theft.

As a person who has served multiple years on both chambers of the Missouri General Assembly, Gibbons feels his experience in delegation and organization distinguishes him from his Democratic opponent.

"Being a leader, being organized and knowing how to get things done in short periods of time are skills that I have, and have developed over the years and I think make me the best candidate to serve as attorney general," he said.

Beyond his experience in office, Gibbons highlighted the theme of justice.

"I think that you're there to make sure that the laws in the state are practiced fairly and effectively across the board so that we follow the rule of law, not the rule of the powerful," he said.