The race for attorney general
Frohnmayer, Cook clash on role of office
By Thomas Henderson
Of the Emerald
For a campaign grabbing few
headlines, the race for attorney
general is sparking plenty of
heat — at least between
Democrat Vern Cook and in
cumbent Republican Dave
Frohnmayer.
Cook, a former state senator,
is building his campaign
around a brass knuckles attack
on Frohnmayer’s record, charg
ing that the attorney general has
been derelict in his official
duties.
Frohnmayer, dismissing
Cook’s charges as ridiculous
election year rhetoric, is stick
ing by a record he says is its
own defense.
.The candidates clash on prac
tically every front, but nowhere
more sharply than on the issue
of ballot measures and the at
torney general’s role in their
preparation.
The fair and understandable
wording of ballot measures is
one of the attorney general’s
most important functions, Cook
said. Yet, 28 ballot titles
prepared by Frohnmayer’s of
fice were challenged in the
Oregon Supreme Court and 23
of them were judged unfair,
misleading and insufficient, he
said.
“That’s the worst record an
(Oregon) attorney general has
ever had in regard to ballot
titles,” Cook said.
Calling challenges to ballot
titles the oldest political game
in the book, Frohnmayer said
anyone who believes reviewing
ballot titles is the major respon
sibility of the attorney general
should introduce legislation to
abolish the office.
Besides, he added, most peo
ple know how they will vote on
measures before going to the
polls. “1 trust the voters more
than my opponent,” he said.
Cook rejects such arguments.
"When I hear him say things
like that it just makes my blood
curdle.” he said, charging that
Frohnmayer is merely ra
tionalizing a disrespect for the
initiative process.
Elected to the state House of
Representatives in 1956. Cook
has logged 24 years in the
Legislature. He was elected to
the state Senate in 1960 where
he served until he was unseated
by fellow' Democrat Ruth
McFarland in the 1980 primary.
Dave Frohnmayer
A 1952 graduate of the
University’s law school. Cook
was the youngest legislator in
Oregon history when he entered
state politics. During his
legislative career, he served on
the House Local Government
Committee and was chair of the
Senate Judiciary, Revenue,
Natural Resources, and Military
Affairs committees.
Frohnmayer did his
undergraduate work at Harvard
University and was a Rhodes
Scholar at Oxford before receiv
ing his law degree from the
University of California at
Berkeley in 1967.
He taught law at the Universi
ty law school from 1971 to 1981
and served as special counsel to
the University’s president from
1971 to 1979. He served three
terms in the state House of
Representatives before being
elected attorney general in
1980. •
The attorney general’s office
represents Oregon in all legal
proceedings in which the state
is involved or has an interest.
The office also provides legal
counsel to all state departments,
boards and commissions. • •
It also provides written legal
opinions when requested by the
governor, state agencies or the
Legislature. However, the at
torney general is prohibited by
law from rendering opinions to
anyone else.
This last duty, along with the
attorney general's responsibili
ty for ballot titles, is a major
sore point between Cook and
Frohnmayer.
Cook says the attorney
general should be the lawyer of
the people, issuing formal opi
nions and taking court action in
the event of official illegality.
This, he said, is the attorney
general’s right and duty under
common law.
Frohnmayer, on the other
hand, said the letter of the w'rit
ten law prohibits the attorney
general from issuing opinions
unless asked. The role of the at
torney general, he argues, is
defined by statutory, not com
mon, law.
Vern Cook
Citing several questionable
official acts (including the
state’s handling of Kajneeshee
voter registration in Wasco
County) he said went un
challenged by Frohnmayer,
Cook added that the incum
bent's attitude "is the same as a
sheriff watching a bank robbery
in progress and doing nothing
but watch the robbers haul off
the loot because the bank presi
dent did not ask him to do his
duty."
Frohnmayer said he rejects
Cook’s charge that as attorney
general he has served the
bureaucracy instead of the
people.
He said he represented Orego
nians by challenging an Internal
Revenue Service ruling that
would have denied federal tax
credits for energy conservation
to Oregon veterans. He added
that he has also fought the oil
companies when they threaten
ed to overcharge Oregonians.
In addition. Frohnmayer said
he has vigorously enforced the
law, seeking to modify insanity
as a criminal defense. He says
he has cracked down on illegal
drugs, untaxed gambling and
large-scale hijacking.
Frohnmayer said he supports
Ballot Measure 8. the "victims'
rights” initiative that would
revise at least 19 criminal laws
concerning police powers,
trials, evidence and sentencing,
but he opposes Ballot Measures
6 and 7. which whould reinstate
the death penalty.
Calling Frohnmayer a "hang
’em high attorney general,”
Cook said his opponent's sup
port of Measure 8 exemplifies
his "prosecutor's frame of
mind.”
"(Frohnmayer) doesn't have
any respect for the Oregon Con
stitution," he said.
WE NEED A CHANGE!
...Eugene is the FOURTH fastest shrinking
city in the nation! Abandoned homes and
empty stores testify to the county’s anti
business, no-growth image. We can send a
signal that we are determined to change
this image by electing TONIE NATHAN.
...TONIE’s opponent is a leader of the no
growth movement. In 1977 he PERSONAL
LY sued to stop a high-tech, clean industry
from locating in Eugene. We lost 1000
potential jobs and the story of the suit was
spread nationwide. In July of this year,
speaking during a commissioners'
meeting, he reaffirmed his no-growth, anti
business views.
...TONIE’s opponent received a 51%
negative (or poor) rating from residents
who participated in a comprehensive in
dependent study conducted by the polling
firm of Bardsley & Haslacher, Inc. (R-G,
5/25/84). It’s time for a change.
TONIE NATHAN IS A
CHANGE FOR THE BETTER
TONIE NATHAN is intellectually inquir
ing, suspicious of power, independent of
mind, and willing to work for her ideals. It
is no wonder that she is perceived by peo
ple of all backgrounds as an inspiring and
persuasive leader.
As the first woman on the Board of Com
missioners in years, she will bring a wide
range of new perceptions, sensitivity, and
fresh ideas to county government. Work
ing in harmony with the other commis
sioners, TONIE can provide the vigor and
enthusiasm needed to pull the county out
of its present doldrums.
As county commissioner, TONIE
NATHAN will be a change for the better.
VOTE FOR
A CHANGE
FOR THE BETTER
R
1
TONIE
NATHAN
Efficient - Creative - Dedicated
for
County Commissioner
s
V
(A nonpartisan office)
Paid for by the Comm, to Elect Tonie Nathan
Bere Lindley, Treat., P.O. Box 10152, Eugene, Or., 97440
TONIE NATHAN
ON THE ISSUES
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND
DIVERSIFICATION
We need non-polluting industries that will
provide a new source of jobs and stable
economic base and we need to encourage
expansion of existing local businesses.
We need to work cooperatively with the
University of Oregon, our number one
employer, and the timber industry, the
foundation of our economy, to help them
through rough times.
COUNTY SERVICE...
We must end excessive waiting for permits,
information and licenses. We must
reschedule county hours to better service
the public.
ADMINISTRATION...
We must have a strong professional ad
ministrator who can provide the consistent
managerial direction necessary for stable
government.
COST CUTTING...
We should support a charter amendment
to reduce the Board of County Commis
sioners to three persons elected-at-large.
I?save t^le county approximately
$100,000 and eliminate political in
fighting.
We should review all county services an
nually. Any agencies not needed should be
eliminated. We should consolidate services
wherever possible.
SOCIAL SERVICES...
We must provide alternatives to jail over
crowding. We must communicate more ef
fectively with the needy and be more flexi
ble with our help.
environment...
We do not have to sacrifice our good living
environment to obtain a good working en
vironment. We can and will maintain our
high quality of life.