On The Ballot: Electing an Attorney General?

Photo courtesy of
‘Sam Waterston’
courtesy of ‘Alan Light’

In addition to the hundreds of ANC campaigns, and the formal election of Vincent Gray and the Council, tomorrow’s District ballots will have a question for the voters of DC: Do you want the position of Attorney General to be appointed by the Mayor, or elected by the People?  The whole paperwork considering the amendment to the charter is quite lengthy, but can be found on page 39 of your voter guide, or in this handy PDF. To simply: vote for the proposition if you want to elect the AG, vote against it if you think that’s the mayor’s job.

Now to the pros and cons of such an affair.  Proponents of the charter amendment say that it will insulate the city against Attorneys General like Peter Nickles: unresponsive to citizen concerns, no accountability, and pursuing oddly-shaped justice.  Opponents of the charter amendment say that it will change the way Justice is meted out, and will have a chilling effect on unpopular prosecutions.  What say you?  For or against?

I live and work in the District of Columbia. I write at We Love DC, a blog I helped start, I work at Technolutionary, a company I helped start, and I’m happy doing both. I enjoy watching baseball, cooking, and gardening. I grow a mean pepper, keep a clean scorebook, and wash the dishes when I’m done. Read Why I Love DC.

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