Palin's Attorney General Pick Proves his Independence

There is one issue I disagree with Wayne Ross on and that was his statement in regard to Morgan Christen being a good pick. I have explained why I thought Ross said what he said.

But that is the past and we now get to see how he stands on other issues.

Vic Kohring....

“Vic’s main problem was that he was naive,” Ross said.

I agree, and during the trial the government's case on extortion wasn't there and the case was not a slam-dunk. The jury could have possibly let Vic go. And according to the jury's statements afterwards, it was close.

There was the feeling on my part that Bottini was pulling some B.S.during the trial and statements made by Bottini did not add up on Frank Prewitt, Allen and others.

There was also a problem with Bob Roses being visited by an FBI agent and being asked what was he going to testify on when he took the stand in another case.

And now given what has happened in the Stevens trial, this is what is reported about Ross and Kohring:

Ross said Kohring didn’t follow his legal advice and then hired another lawyer, John Henry Browne of Seattle. Ross, responding to questioning, said he thought Palin was wrong to call on Kohring to resign from the Legislature following his indictment.

Ross also said he thought the governor was wrong to call on Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens to step down from office in October after he was convicted — a conviction that a U.S. District Court judge dismissed on Tuesday. “I believe our system of justice should work first before somebody is publicly asked to resign,” Ross said.

I happen to agree with him and I am impressed that he can publicly disagree with Palin and feel comfortable about saying it. No harm done to Palin or Ross.

When asked about gay rights, he had this to say:

Anchorage Democratic Sen. Bill Wielechowski brought up previous Ross statements, including saying the idea of Native sovereignty is a 19th century principle, and using words like “immoral,” and “degenerates” in a letter to the state bar association newsletter during a fight over gay rights in 1993.

“Some of the things that you’ve said are extremely divisive and I don’t think help us as a state move forward. And I don’t know that right now, at this time in our state, it’s in our best interest to have such a divisive figure,” he said.

Ross responded he had a different role in the past as a private attorney representing clients than he would as attorney general. “I want to represent all Alaskans, I’ll have a different hat on … If I have the job of advocate for the state of Alaska then I’m going to advocate for all the people of the state of Alaska,” Ross said.

The issue is a dead issue. But Ross answered it as it should be answered. He will defend the Alaska Constitution and the protections it affords the citizens of Alaska.

On the death penalty:

On other issues: Ross said he opposed the death penalty, which Palin supports, and believes that state youth workers are often too intent on taking kids from homes in cases of alleged abuse than in keeping families together when appropriate. “I’ve wondered whether it wasn’t a matter of numbers, in other words, the more kids they could get into the system of foster homes, the more money they could come (to the Legislature) and justify getting,” Ross said.

I agree with Ross on the death penalty. One case in the U.S. Supreme Court on DNA, comes from a case here in Alaska.

It is odd that some legislators want to enact the death penalty.

You have the DNA case before the U.S. Supreme Court where a person was denied getting DNA testing. And during hearings on the death penalty law, testimony was given on the use of DNA testing as a reason that the death penalty can be used with certainty that the person convicted is guity.

On subsistence:

The most heated exchange came between Ross and Nome Democratic Sen. Donny Olson. “I’m concerned that, as the general, the casualties may indeed be those people that are out there in rural Alaska — the people that I represent. I’ve had torrents of e-mails and torrents of communication (from people), stating that they have difficulty with your appointment,” Olson told him.

Olson singled out Ross’s statements about the rural preference for subsistence hunting and fishing. Alaskans have been divided for years on whether residents of far-flung rural areas should enjoy more liberal hunting and fishing access than residents from more urban areas. At stake are longer seasons, higher catch limits and first crack at fish and wildlife during times of scarcity.

In 1989, Ross was co-counsel in a lawsuit that led to the Alaska Supreme Court tossing out the state’s rural-preference law. Federal law calls for a rural subsistence preference and the state’s unwillingness to comply led to a court-ordered federal takeover of subsistence hunting and fishing management across much of the state. When running for governor in 2002, Ross told a crowd in Kodiak that if elected he would hire a band of “junkyard dog’’ assistant attorneys general to challenge the federal rules or seek changes in the law through Congress.

Ross said the state Constitution says Alaska’s assets belong to all state residents, and people should talk instead of going to the feds to get “more rights than other people.”

“You don’t invite the bear into your house and then expect not to get eaten up. We’re being eaten up and we need to get together,” Ross told the committee.

Olson objected.

“The bear that you call it is the United States government and that’s what had to step in here because state law was starting to run over the rank and file little guy out there that is trying to make a living out in rural Alaska,” Olson said.

Ross fired back.

“You’re a senator, you represent all Alaskans and you should be working with other Alaskans to develop solutions rather than going out and crying to mama out somewheres else, and saying ‘mom, you’ve got to help me,”’ Ross said. “That’s not necessarily directed at you. But we should have worked together to solve those problems, rather than get somebody else.”

Ross is right and senators are there to serve and protect Alaska's Constitution. Olson seems to have forgotten that.

How about Senator Lesil McGuire aka Senator Who's Keeping Bowling Scores?

Anchorage Republican Sen. Lesil McGuire said Ross would be a passionate fighter for the state and she is inclined to support a governor’s choice unless there is a huge reason not to. But McGuire said that, in response to public testimony, she needs to follow up with Ross about his stance on domestic violence issues.

I am sure Ross will have the correct answer. He should however, just lay the question out to McGuire, how did the law work in your case of domestic violence with Tom Anderson?

And what about the crazed lunatics that attack Palin and comment and recommend each other's comments on the ADN?

zankudote wrote on 04/09/2009 00:04:54 AM:
Sarah Palin ( Alcapone) is well organized this octopus already appointed her friends: Denvy Lloyd ( Director of Fish and Game) Lewis D.Bradley was Sarah high school coach, Bob Bell,Craig Fleener (Director of "SUBSISTENCE") Cori Rossi, Sarah close friend. Patrick Valkenbeg, Cliff Jerkins,Teresa Sager-Albaugh former director of Sportsmen Outdoor Council. All these cold blooded individuals mention above were appointed to the Fish and Game Board.Tim Grussendorf, Joe Nelson to state senator seat, All of them are white wealty urban professional hunters and trappers. Now the mastermind Wayne Anthony Roos president of NRA. Sarah Palin hired extra state employees to attack who is against her ideologies.Sarah cynical,hipocrite, divisive and sarcastic she said that Ross will works tireless for Fish and Game. Sarah already declared the WAR on WILDLIFE specially on WOLVES, BROWN AND BLACK BEARS for MONEY including sows and cubs.Hunting in Alaska is a huge business controlled by Sarah Palin.

I'm left with tears that Palin has declared WAR on the wildlife....