Legislature(2007 - 2008)CAPITOL 106

04/12/2007 08:00 AM House STATE AFFAIRS


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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ SB 59 GAMING: BROADCASTING/CABBAGE CLASSICS TELECONFERENCED
Moved HCS CSSB 59(STA) Out of Committee
+= HJR 6 CONST. AM: ELECTED ATTORNEY GENERAL TELECONFERENCED
Heard & Held
+ Bills Previously Heard/Scheduled TELECONFERENCED
HJR  6-CONST. AM: ELECTED ATTORNEY GENERAL                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
8:50:16 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR LYNN  announced that the  last order of business  was HOUSE                                                               
JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 6, Proposing  amendments to the Constitution                                                               
of  the  State of  Alaska  relating  to  the office  of  attorney                                                               
general.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
The committee took an at-ease from 8:50:28 AM to 8:52:43 AM.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
8:53:01 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  HARRY  CRAWFORD,  Alaska  State  Legislature,  as                                                               
prime sponsor of HJR 6,  offered his understanding that there are                                                               
45  states  that don't  have  appointed  attorney generals.    He                                                               
stated  his belief  that when  Alaska  first became  a state,  it                                                               
thought it would be continually  battling the federal government,                                                               
which  is why  the state  chose in  its constitution  to have  an                                                               
appointed attorney  general.  He  said Alaska has grown  up since                                                               
then and  it is time  to correct what he  said he believes  was a                                                               
flaw in  the original  constitution.   He said  he has  a problem                                                               
with the words in the  constitution that say the attorney general                                                               
"shall serve  at the pleasure  of the  governor."  He  stated his                                                               
belief  that the  AG  should  be able  to  ferret out  wrongdoing                                                               
wherever he/she sees  it, without the threat of being  fired.  He                                                               
recognized the  AG as the  top lawyer  for the people  of Alaska,                                                               
but said  currently the AG is  serving as the top  lawyer for the                                                               
governor.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
8:55:46 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR LYNN pointed  out that the governor has the  power not only                                                               
to fire the AG, but also to keep him/her.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE CRAWFORD  agreed, but reiterated that  he believes                                                               
that is wrong  to have the AG serving completely  at the pleasure                                                               
of the governor.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR LYNN  noted that  not only  is a  governor elected,  but an                                                               
entire  administration; typically  that entire  administration is                                                               
of the same  or nearly the same political party  as the governor.                                                               
He questioned  whether or not  the AG  should belong to  the same                                                               
party as the governor.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
8:57:28 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  CRAWFORD recalled  that during  one of  the first                                                               
interviews of the current AG, he  was asked whether he served the                                                               
governor  or  the  people,  and  the  AG  had  a  difficult  time                                                               
answering the question.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR LYNN suggested that there may not be a good answer.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE CRAWFORD emphasized that although  the AG can be a                                                               
legal  advisor for  both the  governor and  the public,  it is  a                                                               
mistake to  say that he/she  works for  the governor and  not the                                                               
people.   In  response to  Chair Lynn's  comment about  political                                                               
affiliation,  he  credited  Representative  Johnson  with  having                                                               
suggested  there be  an  open  primary for  AGs,  followed by  an                                                               
election  for the  AG,  the same  way as  the  public elects  the                                                               
lieutenant  governor -  as  "part of  a  slate."   Representative                                                               
Crawford said  he likes that  idea; it  would mean the  top three                                                               
offices would  be elected as  a group.   He said this  would mean                                                               
that  although the  AG may  be allied  with the  governor, he/she                                                               
would not walk in to work one day and be fired by the governor.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
9:00:13 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  LYNN  asked how  there  would  be  any certainty  that  an                                                               
elected  AG  would  not  be giving  answers  to  advance  his/her                                                               
political future.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE CRAWFORD said  he believes that he  should be able                                                               
to go to the attorney general  and ask for advice, no matter what                                                               
the AG's political affiliation is.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR LYNN asked  Representative Crawford what he would  do if he                                                               
was governor  and his  AG wanted to  legalize casino  gambling in                                                               
the state.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE CRAWFORD said  he would try to work  the issue out                                                               
one way or  the other.  He stated his  belief in direct democracy                                                               
and trusting  the judgment of  the people; therefore, if  he were                                                               
governor and the  public elected an AG who ran  on a pro-gambling                                                               
platform, he  would have  to live  with that.   In response  to a                                                               
question  from  Chair  Lynn,  he  concurred  that  Alaska  has  a                                                               
representative form  of democracy,  but he  stated his  belief in                                                               
the direct election of state officials.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
9:04:00 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE ROSES offered his  understanding that the AG takes                                                               
an oath  of office  to uphold  the Constitution  of the  State of                                                               
Alaska  and protect  the rights  of  the citizens  of the  state;                                                               
he/she  doesn't  take  an  oath  to protect  the  rights  of  the                                                               
governor.   He said he knows  there can be conflict,  but he does                                                               
not  see  any difference  "in  terms  of  the appointment."    He                                                               
directed attention to the sponsor  statement, and read:  "Serving                                                               
at the pleasure  of the governor exposes the  attorney general to                                                               
a  conflict  between his  or  her  loyalty  to  the head  of  the                                                               
executive branch  and his  or her duty  to represent  and protect                                                               
the people  of Alaska."   The  sponsor statement  goes on  to say                                                               
that  that is  an ethical  dilemma.   Representative Roses  noted                                                               
that he was  appointed by a former governor to  sit on the Alaska                                                               
Retirement   Management   (ARM)   Board,    and   he   said   his                                                               
responsibility on that  board was to do that  which would benefit                                                               
the ARM  Board, not that  which would  benefit the governor.   He                                                               
questioned how far Representative Crawford's  idea would go.  For                                                               
example, would every board member  and every person who serves as                                                               
commissioner  be elected  by the  people?   He  stated, "At  some                                                               
point  in  time   we  must  believe  in  the   integrity  of  the                                                               
individuals that  are serving  and the oath  of office  that they                                                               
take."   He said getting elected  does not make a  person more or                                                               
less ethical.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
9:07:02 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  CRAWFORD  noted that  out  of  the scenario  that                                                               
Representative  Roses  described, the  only  person  who has  the                                                               
ability to  investigate or  charge the governor  with a  crime is                                                               
the  attorney general,  and he/she  can  be fired  by the  person                                                               
being investigated.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE ROSES  asked if the legislature  has the authority                                                               
to hire its own prosecutor in  the event that it determines there                                                               
has  been wrong-doing  on behalf  of the  governor and  no proper                                                               
investigation by the attorney general is being conducted.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE CRAWFORD said during  the last administration, the                                                               
AG   resigned  "under   pressure";   however,   he  offered   his                                                               
understanding that  the legislature did  not have the  ability to                                                               
hire a special prosecutor.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  ROSES concluded  that  the legislature  currently                                                               
has the ability to be the checks and balances system.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE CRAWFORD  said private  citizens have  the ability                                                               
to file charges.   He added, "We didn't do  that as a legislature                                                               
or as a legislator."                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  ROSES said,  "If  we didn't  have  a [checks  and                                                               
balances]  system  in  place,  and  it was  totally  up  to  that                                                               
individual and that  was the only person that had  the ability to                                                               
do it,  I would be with  you 100 percent."   He said he  does not                                                               
take changes to  the constitution lightly and he  is reluctant to                                                               
agree to  changing it without  thinking that there were  no other                                                               
options.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
9:10:27 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE DOLL  said she gets  nervous with the idea  of the                                                               
public electing the  attorney general.  Although it  would mean a                                                               
vote  of the  majority, she  said oftentimes  the majority  moves                                                               
like a  wave in the  ocean.  She  emphasized her reliance  on the                                                               
law of  the constitution.   She  said she would  like to  see [an                                                               
attorney general] who is appointed  by the supreme court, so that                                                               
he/she is beholden to neither the governor nor the public.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
9:11:25 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG said attorneys  in Alaska, including the                                                               
attorney  general,  are  subject  to  the  code  of  professional                                                               
responsibility  which  comprises  several rules  of  professional                                                               
conduct.  Representative Gruenberg cited AS 44.23.010, which                                                                    
read:                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     Sec. 44.23.010.  Attorney general.                                                                                         
     The principal  executive officer  of the  Department of                                                                    
     Law is the attorney general.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG next cited 44.23.020(a), which read as                                                                 
follows:                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
          (a) The attorney general is the legal advisor of                                                                      
     the governor and other state officers.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG noted that AS 44.23.020(b) lists the                                                                   
functions of the attorney general.  He continued:                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
     But  there  are cases  that  say  that the  powers  and                                                                    
     duties of  the attorney general are  those described at                                                                    
     common law, which means that  the AG is the chief legal                                                                    
     officer for the state as  an organization.  So, really,                                                                    
     at the common law and in  this state, the client of the                                                                    
     AG and all  of the members of the Department  of Law is                                                                    
     the state.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
     ...  They talk  in  terms of  this  particular rule  as                                                                    
     individual  people  in  state government  are  not  his                                                                    
     clients or  her clients,  but they are  constituents of                                                                    
     the client, which is the state as a whole.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG referred back to the rules of                                                                          
professional conduct, specifically Rule 1.13 - "Organization as                                                                 
Client."  He read "(a)" as follows:                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
     Except as  herein after provided, a  lawyer employed or                                                                    
     retained   by  an   organization  ...   represents  the                                                                    
     organization   acting  through   its  duly   authorized                                                                    
     constituents.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG next read from the commentary portion                                                                  
of the rule, which read as follows:                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
     Clarifying the Lawyer's Role                                                                                             
     There are  times when  the organization's  interest may                                                                    
     be or  become adverse to  those of  one or more  of its                                                                    
     constituents. In  such circumstances the  lawyer should                                                                    
     advise  any  constituent,  whose  interest  the  lawyer                                                                    
     finds  adverse  to  that of  the  organization  of  the                                                                    
     conflict or  potential conflict  of interest,  that the                                                                    
     lawyer  cannot  represent  such constituent,  and  that                                                                    
     such   person   may    wish   to   obtain   independent                                                                    
     representation. Care  must be taken to  assure that the                                                                    
     individual  understands   that,  when  there   is  such                                                                    
     adversity of interest, the  lawyer for the organization                                                                    
     cannot   provide   legal    representation   for   that                                                                    
     constituent  individual, and  that discussions  between                                                                    
     the lawyer for the  organization and the individual may                                                                    
     not be privileged based on the facts of the case.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
9:15:43 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG said the  federal government has created                                                               
"the Office  of the  White House Council."   He  recommended that                                                               
the  legislature  look at  AS  44.23  and consider  establishing,                                                               
through statute,  some type of  governor's council that  could be                                                               
employed in the  event of a conflict of interest.   He emphasized                                                               
the importance of having such a council.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR LYNN  said there is a  problem that needs to  be addressed,                                                               
but said the debate is whether  or not electing an AG would solve                                                               
the problem.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
9:17:23 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE   CRAWFORD   said    he   understands   everything                                                               
Representative Gruenberg just  said about who the  client is, and                                                               
it may  address the  issue of conflict  of interest;  however, he                                                               
said that "still doesn't remove  the problem in that the governor                                                               
can  walk in  and  fire  the attorney  general  for whatever  ...                                                               
[reason]."  He said that is problematic.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
9:18:44 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE JOHNSON  said he  hates to develop  policies based                                                               
on situations.   He said a  situation comes to mind  where the AG                                                               
had an opportunity  to advance a law suit, thought  the state had                                                               
a  good chance  of  winning,  was told  by  "his  boss" that  the                                                               
lawsuit would  not be advanced,  and went  on record to  say [the                                                               
lawsuit] was removed for political  reasons.  He surmised that if                                                               
there had  been an elected AG  in office at that  time, the issue                                                               
would have  been addressed.  He  said it was an  issue that still                                                               
exists  and that  the state  will be  facing for  a long  time to                                                               
come.   He said he has  no interest in setting  up an adversarial                                                               
situation;  however, he  wonders  how many  instances there  have                                                               
been when  the AG has said,  "We can win this,"  and the governor                                                               
has said no.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
9:21:44 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  CRAWFORD said  it  was obvious  that  the AG  was                                                               
following orders,  and that is  something that has  happened over                                                               
the  years.    He  clarified  that  he  does  not  want  to  cast                                                               
dispersions  upon all  attorneys general.   He  restated that  he                                                               
does not  think the attorney general  should have to be  "part of                                                               
the team," because he's "different  from other department heads."                                                               
He reiterated that  the AG is a law enforcement  officer; the top                                                               
lawyer for the people of Alaska.   He said both the United States                                                               
Constitution and  the Constitution  of the  State of  Alaska have                                                               
been  amended and  will be  again.   He said  it is  difficult to                                                               
amend  the  constitution; it  takes  a  two-thirds vote  of  both                                                               
bodies, plus a vote of the people.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
9:24:33 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE ROSES  said the  focus thus far  has been  on what                                                               
happens  when  the  AG  disagrees with  the  governor,  with  the                                                               
assumption that  the AG  was right, the  governor was  wrong, and                                                               
there was  no recourse.   He  asked what  happens in  a situation                                                               
when the  governor is right or  where there has been  a misuse of                                                               
office,  and the  AG  was elected.   The  only  recourse at  that                                                               
point, he surmised,  would be to recall the elected  AG, which he                                                               
said concerns  him.  He posited  that one advantage of  having an                                                               
appointed  AG  is  that  the governor  can  dismiss  him/her  for                                                               
misconduct in one day  instead of - in the case  of an elected AG                                                               
- having to  wait until the next election.   He suggested that to                                                               
address any concerns that an  AG could be dismissed unjustly, the                                                               
legislature  has the  power to  put some  checks and  balances in                                                               
place - for example, to have an appeal or review process.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
9:26:14 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE CRAWFORD suggested  impeachment as another option.                                                               
He indicated that he is open  to other suggestions for making the                                                               
AG independent  of the governor.   He expressed  appreciation for                                                               
Representative Johnson's  idea to  elect attorneys general  "as a                                                               
slate."                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE ROSES  said he  thinks electing  attorneys general                                                               
as a  slate would give the  impression that "they're part  of the                                                               
same group  and that they're  going to  support each other."   He                                                               
said  that   would  not  necessarily  prevent   conflict  or  the                                                               
perception of  "serving at the  pleasure of [the governor]."   He                                                               
said he is not in favor of the election process.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
9:28:14 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG  directed attention  to an  article from                                                               
Alaska Scrapbook,  [included in the  committee packet].   He said                                                             
the  framers  of   the  Constitution  of  the   State  of  Alaska                                                               
deliberately decided  to change from the  territory's practice of                                                               
electing  an AG  to having  one appointed  by the  governor.   He                                                               
offered  an historical  example of  another branch  of government                                                               
attempting to control  the attorney general, and  he relayed that                                                               
the  Alaska  Supreme  Court  says  that is  not  allowable.    He                                                               
explained  that  the decision  whether  to  prosecute or  not  to                                                               
prosecute is an executive decision, and  it is a violation of the                                                               
constitutional  separation of  powers for  a different  branch to                                                               
make that  decision.  He  said he does  not think there  would be                                                               
anything wrong  with the  idea of the  legislature passing  a law                                                               
requiring the executive branch to pursue  an appeal.  He said the                                                               
decision to appeal or not to appeal is an "internal question."                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
9:32:32 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG  said the  opposite situation  can occur                                                               
just as  easily.  He explained  that an attorney general  who was                                                               
elected may  do something  for political  purposes that  does not                                                               
serve  the best  interest  of the  state.   He  commented on  the                                                               
number of elected  officials that would be serving if  the AG was                                                               
also elected.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
9:34:01 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  COGHILL  stated that  the  main  purpose for  the                                                               
decision  during   the  Constitutional  Convention  to   have  an                                                               
appointed  attorney  general  was  to  have  a  strong  executive                                                               
branch, and  one reason for that  is so that Alaska  could "stand                                                               
strong as a  small state in a large country."   He emphasized the                                                               
importance  of reading  that part  of the  floor debate  from the                                                               
Constitutional Convention  related to  the attorney general  as a                                                               
reminder of  what the  members of  that convention  argued about.                                                               
He said  there were other  arguments, such as  whether [attorneys                                                               
general] should  be approved by the  legislative council, brought                                                               
up by the judicial council,  or appointed by the [Alaska] Supreme                                                               
Court.  He offered further details.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
9:40:04 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR LYNN said this is a  significant issue and he wants to "put                                                               
a lot of sunlight"  on it.  He said he thinks a  good case can be                                                               
made for both arguments.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
9:40:47 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  JOHNSON  suggested  he  could moved  to  adopt  a                                                               
conceptual  amendment which  could  then be  put into  particular                                                               
wording by Legislative Legal and Research Services.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE COGHILL stated that  he strongly objects to making                                                               
conceptual  amendments  to  the  constitution.   He  said  he  is                                                               
"somewhat sympathetic to electing the attorney general."                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
9:41:42 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE JOHANSEN  expressed his desire that  the committee                                                               
wait to offer any amendments  until further reviewing the history                                                               
aforementioned by Representative Coghill.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
9:42:02 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ALEX FOOT, Intern to Representative  Harry Crawford, Alaska State                                                               
Legislature, on behalf of  Representative Crawford, prime sponsor                                                               
of HJR 6, offered his  understanding that approximately one-third                                                               
of the  delegates to the  Alaska Constitutional  Convention voted                                                               
in favor of electing the attorney general.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  CRAWFORD stated  his  belief that  Representative                                                               
Coghill  had   hit  upon   the  crux  of   the  argument:     the                                                               
Constitutional Convention  delegates put  the power in  the hands                                                               
of  the  governor.    He  said Alaska  has,  arguably,  the  most                                                               
powerful governor  of all 50 states,  and he believes that  was a                                                               
mistake.   He stated his belief  that the state does  not need an                                                               
imperial  governorship;  conversely,  it   needs  checks  on  its                                                               
administration.  He reiterated that he  likes the idea of a slate                                                               
election, and he recalled that  Representative Doll had requested                                                               
that there be term limits, which is  an idea he said "would be in                                                               
order, as well."                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
9:44:29 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR.   FOOT  announced,   "Twenty-one   states  currently   employ                                                               
straight-ticket voting."                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
9:44:45 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR LYNN closed public testimony.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
9:44:54 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE JOHNSON said  he wants the opportunity  to run his                                                               
amendment  by  Legislative  Legal and  Research  Services  before                                                               
presenting it.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
9:45:36 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  LYNN asked  Representative Doll  to do  the same  with her                                                               
amendment.  He  said the committee would hold  the resolution and                                                               
bring it  back "fairly rapidly."   He  stated his intent  to move                                                               
the bill in an expedient manner.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
9:46:49 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  GRUENBERG,  "in  light  of  the  two  [potential]                                                               
amendments," noted  that in  recent past,  there was  an attorney                                                               
general who  was appointed by  former Governor Walter  J. Hickel,                                                               
continued  to  serve  under former  Governor  Tony  Knowles,  and                                                               
served longer than eight years.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
[HJR 6 was heard and held.]                                                                                                     

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