By Brent Engel

It's a fast-growing crime, and Margaret Donnelly wants to stop it.

Donnelly, a state representative from the St. Louis suburb of Richmond Heights, is one of four people seeking the Democratic nomination for Missouri Attorney General. She visited Marion and Ralls counties Monday.

One of Donnelly's priorities if elected would be fighting elder abuse.

"Elderly and disabled people are being taken advantage of by scam artists," said Donnelly, 54. "It's very important we focus on what I think is a vulnerable group."

As a lawmaker, Donnelly has proposed a bill to increase the penalties for crimes against older people. Reports of elder abuse are growing, and are expected to remain high as the Baby Boom generation ages.

Donnelly is a lawyer and former social worker who was elected to the Missouri House in 2002. She believes experience on the budget and health committees, as well as two decades of being an advocate for families, has prepared her for myriad issues faced by the attorney general's office.

"I want to be sure the attorney general is a strong consumer advocate and we put dishonest businesses out of business," she said. "I think the attorney general's office is in the best position to be the strongest protector of Missouri families."

While in Northeast Missouri, Donnelly said she visited with local law enforcement and prosecutors to find out what issues they'd like addressed.

"We face new threats everyday, and I'm committed to making sure the attorney general supports our local law enforcement and prosecutors," she said.

Donnelly said voters want someone who will "go after problems" such as cyber crime, drug abuse and fraud.

‘We have to make sure we're putting our money where our mouth is," she said.

The other three candidates in the Democrat primary are state lawmakers Chris Koster of Harrisonville and Jeff Harris of Columbia, and Kansas City schoolteacher and former lawyer Molly Williams. Republican state legislator Mike Gibbons is the only candidate for the GOP nomination.

Democrat incumbent Jay Nixon is running for governor.