An effort is afoot by Maine state Sen. Debra Plowman to have the attorney general in her state be selected by the voters, rather than the legislature. Maine is the only state, according to the National Association of Attorneys General, in which the attorney general is selected by the legislature. Thoughts, Mr. Tierney?
Here is Article IX, Section 11 of the Maine Constitution:
Attorney General. The Attorney General shall be chosen biennially by joint ballot of the Senators and Representatives in convention. Vacancy in said office occurring when the Legislature is not in session, may be filled by appointment by the Governor, subject to confirmation as required by this Constitution for Justices of the Supreme Judicial Court.
Intriguing. Despite this method of selection, the Attorney General is considered a part of the executive branch and Article III of the Maine Constitution requires separation of powers — with an exception for anything found in the Constitution itself: “No person or persons, belonging to one of these departments, shall exercise any of the powers properly belonging to either of the others, except in the cases herein expressly directed or permitted.”
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Chris Geidner is the award-winning senior political editor at D.C.'s Metro Weekly and has written for The Atlantic Online, The American Prospect, Advocate.com, Salon and other publications, as well as at his blog, Law Dork. In 2011, he received the Excellence in News Writing Award from the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association for his coverage of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" repeal. Prior to moving to D.C. in 2009, he served as an attorney on the senior staff at the Ohio Attorney General's Office and had earlier worked for a leading Columbus law firm. An extended biography can be found
Nothing that happens in Maine surprises me.