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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 21, 1980)
Crime rhetoric springs eternal in AG race Analysis By ALAN HARRIS Of tha Emerald Candidates for the Oregon attorney general's office tradi tionally fail to inform the public of the real powers and duties of the office, and this year’s can didates are no exception. But Rep. David Frohnmayer, R-Eugene, and Democrat Harl Haas, Multnomah County’s dis trict attorney, don’t deserve too much of the blame. Their cam paigns understandably cater to the public’s mostly faulty per ception of the office. Libertarian Terry McCauley also has entered the race but is running a low-key campaign. The attorney general writes opinions on legal questions in which the state or a public agency may have an interest. The requests for opinions come from the governor, any state agency, official or legislator. The attorney general also heads the Department of Jus tice, which has nine operating divisions: Appellate, Antitrust, Char*able Trust, Criminal Jus tice ind Special Investigation, Trial, Tax, Consumer Protec tion, General Counsel and Sup port Enforcement Divisions. Consequently, the attorney general heads the largest law firm in the state. According to current Attorney General James Brown, approximately 110 attorneys work full-time for the justice department. Add approximately 20 full time investigators, and the of fice’s immense potential poli tical clout becomes clear. In clout, the attorney general is subordinate only to the gover nor. Brown, who was appointed by Gov. Vic Atiyeh in March when James Redden took a federal judgeship, says because his of fice’s attorneys work on a day to-day basis with state adminis trators, it's "important for them to play it straight. There is a whole lot of (political) lever age." Brown says the attorney gen eral and his employees are strictly lawyers, although they do have the authority to initiate legislation in three areas: anti trust, consumer protection and support enforcement. In all other questions they on ly provide constitutional data and let their clients — the governor or state employees — make the policy decisions. These duties have little to do with the eternal "law and order" rhetoric that springs from most attorney general races. The attorney general can ex press his personal views on any subject, especially if he is asked to do so by the public. But bud getary and legal constraints determine how he actually af fects policy. For example, from the 1979 attorney general’s budget of $14,188,825, only $392,500 was Garage Continued from Page 1 “It's a rare situation to have a man come in and be offended,” Frazer says. "Sometimes they’ll be sur Correction An article that appeared in Monday’s Emerald contained a factual error about the Oregon Smoking Control Pro gram. The program offers six-week sessions that meet for one and one-half hours per week. The fee for the six-week program is $20. prised, but not hostile. They feel really relaxed and say 'Here’s my car. Take it. I don't know anything about it.' And seem really glad not to have to get into the male ego thing with the me chanic.” The cooperative’s members are trying to set up an associa tion of women mechanics. Frazer says they hope to change such things as sexist advertisements in automotive trade magazines. Many of Country Volks wagen's women customers are aware of the hurdles involved in running an all-female enterprise and they try to be supportive. Cooperative members return the support by showing cus tomers how to take care of their automobiles and how to do minor repair work themselves. "Many women come in here who’ve been lied to and over charged," Frazer says. "Some times they have a defensive at titude. We try to explain to them, in terms they’ll understand, what’s wrong with their car and what it will take to fix it." She probably could make more money elsewhere, Frazer says. “But we are here because we like working on cars. We enjoy helping people.” spent for criminal appeals. $186,689 went for district attor ney assistance. No other ex penditure headings would ap ply to fighting crime. On the issue of prison con struction legislation, Brown and other informed sources indicate the attorney general has no legislative jurisdiction in the matter. However, the attorney gener al can interest one of the state’s 90 legislators in a pet project and have them introduce legis lation. In past public forums involv ing attorney general can didates, questions invariably centered around crime unless the candidates redirected the discussion. This experience prompted one former attorney general candidate to question whether he was running for sheriff or warden. But the public's perception of the attorney general's office is the key, and the candidates kill two birds with one stone by campaigning against crime They appeal to the greater part of the public that is uninformed but looks for a person of high morals and integrity. Those qualities also appeal to the smaller, informed part of the electorate that looks for a can didate who will not put self-in terests before the duties of an influential state office. BOOK IMMEDIATELY! Christmas Vacation Flights to New York EUGENE TRAVEL 687-2823 Even the Great Pumpkin designed his costume at St. Vincent de Paul. We have lots of cheap clothing; come in today while the selection is best. St. Vincent de Paul will be Open ’til 7:00 pm from October 23rd thru Halloween llOEastllth 501 Main Eugene Springfield Come and enjoy sporting events on our BIG SCREEN 3355 E. 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