News from the Senate Majority
Alaska State Legislature
Wendy Lindskoog, Senate Majority Press
Secretary
State Capitol
Juneau, AK 99801-1182
Phone: 907/465-4582
Fax: 465-6545
http://www.akrepublicans.org
Broadcast Actualities: 800/478-6540
For Immediate Release: January 31, 1997 Contact: Senator Lyda Green 907/465-6600
Let The People Elect Alaska’s Attorney General
Green’s Resolution Strips Politics From The Position
Juneau -- Amending the state constitution so that Alaskan’s can elect the state’s Attorney General is the goal behind Senate Joint Resolution 10 introduced by Senator Lyda Green (R-Mat-Su) on Friday.
"I am introducing SJR 10 to put the question to the voters -- should the Attorney General be directly accountable to the people or, by direct appointment, be directly accountable only to the Governor?" said Senator Green, Chair Senate State Affairs.
If the people vote to make the Attorney General accountable to the people,
Alaska’s constitution will be amended to provide for direct election of the Attorney General.
Senator Green noted that the people elect the Attorney General in 43 other states. Besides Alaska, just three other states allow the Governor the power to appoint the Attorney General. Another three states have unique election methods.
"We need an Attorney General who does his best to follow the law, not amend interpretations of law because political winds have shifted," said Green. "Alaska deserves an Attorney General dedicated to advancing the State's rights with vigor and full commitment. I believe if the Attorney General must face voters in an election, this dedication will be far more certain."
"As part of the Republican-led Majority’s commitment to create safe neighborhoods, we have focused attention on better protection from crime for the innocent, surer prosecution of the accused, and appropriate punishment for those convicted," Green said. "An Attorney General whose responsibility is directly to the voters will be more active on all three fronts."
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