tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3126825064641092276.post3554893243532456360..comments2023-10-29T09:14:37.832-04:00Comments on Painfully Objective Political Analysis (POPA): The Good PenceChris Wordenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00558836541249077077noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3126825064641092276.post-29515066312347877232008-10-29T21:47:00.000-04:002008-10-29T21:47:00.000-04:00Paul,I worked in Steve Carter's office for two yea...Paul,<BR/><BR/>I worked in Steve Carter's office for two years (2001-2002), and I can definitively say that he is just as boring and timid in person as he is in his public persona. I'd venture a guess that Indiana has NEVER had an AG that was more complacent, self-serving, and lacking in legal acumen. Greg Zoeller is to Steve Carter what John McCain is to George Bush, which is to say more of the same.<BR/><BR/>If we want something less than Spitzer, and more than Steve Carter, we have a perfect candidate - Linda Pence. She would be everything that we've lacked in the Indiana Attorney General's Office since Jeff Modisett sought greener pastures. She may be the most qualified candidate in several decades.<BR/><BR/>If Zoeller wins, you can just chalk the Indiana AG's Office up as pasture grounds for political patronage, because you're not going to see any real progress in serving Hoosiers.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3126825064641092276.post-22883464055250672202008-10-29T00:06:00.000-04:002008-10-29T00:06:00.000-04:00Anon,I would agree though that we don't need Spitz...Anon,<BR/><BR/>I would agree though that we don't need Spitzer. Isn't there a middle ground between Spitzer and Steve Carter? That's what we need.Paul K. Ogdenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16137003328850866711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3126825064641092276.post-69366235168515484692008-10-29T00:04:00.000-04:002008-10-29T00:04:00.000-04:00Anon, it simply is not true that many of the chang...Anon, it simply is not true that many of the changes Pence suggests requires a change in the law or constitution. The AG has always had the authority to conduct criminal investigations, for example, and turn those findings over to county prosecutors. The final decision of whether to prosecute has always been the county prosecutor's.<BR/><BR/>While Pence did talk about being a "prosecutor" in one of her TV ads, I heard a radio ad this morning where Zoeller talked about his prosecuting sex crimes involving children. He also talked about having a 93%"conviction" rate, a term that is a prosecutorial term, not one that is used on a appeal.<BR/><BR/>So both sides are at fault for playing foot-loose and fancy with the terminology. But the fact is that the AG has a lot more authority than what Carter and Zoeller claim.Paul K. Ogdenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16137003328850866711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3126825064641092276.post-83773881428248364172008-10-28T23:57:00.000-04:002008-10-28T23:57:00.000-04:00Okay I really, really don't want our Attorney Gene...Okay I really, really don't want our Attorney General shaking down tobacco companies for money, but I agree with you on much of what you say.<BR/><BR/>There are a lot of Republicans out there, indeed some really big names, who have been terribly frustrated by the Attorney General Carter's lack of aggressiveness on a wide assortment of fronts. The claim that the AG doesn't have the authority to take action is quite often not true <BR/><BR/>I worked in the area of real estate regulation. We all were terribly frustrated that the AG's Homeowner's Proection Unit would never take an active role, even though they were responsible for licensing real estate agents and appraisers. The AG has the power to fine or yank the license of bad real estate agents and appraisers who were involved in mortgage fraud. They would not do anything. Everyone involve in the regulatory effort constantly complained about the AG's office.<BR/><BR/>I'd like to vote for a Republican for AG who wants to take an aggresive, proactive role to the office, but that person is not on the ballot.Paul K. Ogdenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16137003328850866711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3126825064641092276.post-82784158335064278252008-10-28T23:49:00.000-04:002008-10-28T23:49:00.000-04:00Is anyone else snickering at the idea of Linda Pen...Is anyone else snickering at the idea of Linda Pence hiring male prostitutes?Vox Populihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09174941325997674801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3126825064641092276.post-70918922171304697002008-10-28T21:18:00.000-04:002008-10-28T21:18:00.000-04:00Anon 8:54, Spitzer's problem wasn't his ov...Anon 8:54, <BR/><BR/>Spitzer's problem wasn't his overzealousness...it was his d!@&. What he did regarding corruption wasn't a bad thing at all, even if it were for political gain. I don't think there's an Indiana constitutional issue with the AG overseeing criminal prosecutions. In fact, they often participate in prosecutions on the federal level, but since they don't have qualified attorneys to complete the cases, the U.S. attorney's office takes over. <BR/><BR/>Regardless of the role, Pence is a far better attorney than Zoeller could ever claim to be. It's sad that in this instance she could lose based upon partisan politics rather than credentials.legaldivahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16516493702692072675noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3126825064641092276.post-24618083658212052522008-10-27T23:10:00.000-04:002008-10-27T23:10:00.000-04:00Hey, I voted for her. We need diversity in public ...Hey, I voted for her. We need diversity in public office. Too many white dudes.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3126825064641092276.post-10686204632522124642008-10-27T20:54:00.000-04:002008-10-27T20:54:00.000-04:00No such thing as an overzealous lawyer? I think E...No such thing as an overzealous lawyer? I think Elliott Spitzer qualifies nicely, though I suppose it depends on how you define overzealous.<BR/><BR/>It really sounds like Linda - a superb lawyer, indeed - wants to redefine the job of AG. Many of her suggestions would require a change in either statute or constitution. If that's the case she should say so. I suspect she doesn't because she knows the legislature is unlikely to make such changes.<BR/><BR/>Personally, I don't wan Indiana's version of Elliott Spitzer or anything like it. He had far too much power and proved to use it destructively for his personal political gain.<BR/><BR/>Admittedly, Indiana's AG is largely ministerial. It lacks prosecutorial power and I'm happy to keep it that way.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com