Endorsement: Salem Statesman Journal
Myers' leadership, record worthy of re-election
His success as attorney general for Oregon is measurable
September 14, 2004
The Statesman Journal
If you were casting a TV series about Oregon’s attorney general, you’d look for a star who revels in the limelight.
The reality of the office is nowhere near that dramatic. You want a thoughtful person, a dependable public servant with a proven track record. That’s the incumbent, Democrat Hardy Myers.
His chief opponents, Republican Paul Connolly and Libertarian Don Smith, say they would provide better leadership in the Department of Justice. They might call more attention to themselves, but it’s tough to argue with Myers’ success, despite his low-key manner.
The attorney general is the state’s top lawyer. He and his staff represent the state in court and advise state agencies on legal matters. The Department of Justice also has charge of such areas as child support, crime victims’ compensation, consumer protections and the ballot titles for initiatives.
Myers, who served five terms in the Oregon Legislature, has been the state’s attorney general since 1997.
He has successfully resisted U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft’s efforts to interfere with Oregon’s voter-approved assisted-suicide law. It’s worth noting that he did so despite his personal opposition to assisted suicide. That’s the kind of dispassionate leadership we should expect from an attorney general.
Myers helped untangle the resulting legal mess when Multnomah County commissioners audaciously issued marriage licenses to same-sex couples. He brokered an agreement about which issues would be appealed and arranged for the case to move quickly to the Oregon Supreme Court.
Ordinary Oregonians might be most familiar with his work through the attorney general’s consumer hotline. Myers has expanded it, focusing on complaints that affect large numbers of people.
His top goal is a smart one: help the Legislature make good decisions about paying for public safety in 2005-07. Shutting down forensic labs or indigent defense might save money in the short run, but it cripples the state’s efforts to hold criminals accountable.
Myers’ strongest challenger is Connolly, a Salem lawyer with about 30 years’ experience in the public and private sectors. He’s been the state Republican party’s chief counsel for five years.
Connolly seems to see himself as an activist attorney general, interpreting laws and regulations based on how they benefit businesses and the economy, rather than their overall legal soundness. He also pledges to lead law enforcement in fighting drug use, especially methamphetamine.
However, Connolly’s vision assumes powers that the attorney general doesn’t have. Much of Oregon’s law enforcement is carried out by elected sheriffs and district attorneys, who answer to voters rather than a state official. Neither should the attorney general be given veto power over new business regulations or administrative procedures, as Connolly proposes.
Libertarian Smith says he would act as a watchdog against state agencies’ wrongdoing and challenge regulations that could harm business. His limited experience in the law is insufficient preparation for high statewide offices.
Hardy Myers has served Oregonians well for seven years. The Statesman Journal editorial board believes Oregonians should keep him on the job for the next four years.
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