Charles Jacques of west gardiner, ME Backwater state that Maine often is, so far as government administration is concerned, our process for electing constitutional officers such as the Attorney general is politics at its' worse. It ensures that we never get the very best candidate that might otherwise be available to us.

Maine is the only state in the union that gets it Attorney General in this fashion. It is political cronyism at its' worst and invites corruption to the process of the selection. The majority of States in the union long ago decided that the best way to select an Attorney General is to do it the way we select all our important leaders: through the democratic process of an open election process.

The Boston Tea Party of Maine calls upon the legislature to amend the state constitution to effect such a change and bring Maine firmly into the 21st century, politically.

Charles Jacques
Interim state Chair
Boston Tea party of Maine
westgardinerliberty@yahoo.comreport abuse

Recorder of Augusta, ME Vetting is the major issue that is lacking when either the governor or legislature picks an AG.
Under our current "picking" system the AG OWES and OWES big time. "It's a rare appointee who finds it easy to bite the hand that feeds him".

The Legislature is more indepted to special interests both inside and outside the State of Maine than to the people that elected them.

Maine people would be particularly interested in knowing if the candidate even knows what is written in the constitution of Maine and whether he is in a position of upholding the constitution. How does the candidate feel about private property rights? Does the candidate have a political preference? Is the candidate prone to making law or following the laws?

Picking an AG behind closed doors without publically vetting the candidate has provided Maine with AG's that have absolutely no intention of even remotely upholding the constitution of Maine. AG's that do the bidding of power and money are not necessarily good for the people of the State of Maine or for MAINE!

More damage has been done to this state and it's people in the name of the AG than even the damage done by the Legislature or Governor. It is a very critical position...a position that deserves to have the candidate VETTED! All politics and all smoozing aside.report abuse

Jeffrey Pidot of Hallowell, ME This editorial strikes me as balanced, thoughtful and well-stated. Maine's method of selecting the Attorney General by legislative election, while unique and not without its own problems, avoids the serious politization and campaign finance issues that beset states where the AG is subject to statewide popular election, as well as the lack of independence in those where the AG is hand-picked by the Governor (or, at the national level, by the President).report abuse