Comments on: Can Shannon reverse trend in AG race?

By: chrisgraham

chrisgraham — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 23:12:46 +0000

Cuccinelli is a principled leader. His extreme social-conservative principles scare a lot of folks, but he has his principles.

Rick, you’re of course right on. Without data to back me up, my theory is that Virginia has voted Republican in the last four AG races because Republicans nominally are seen as tougher on crime. Perceptions being what they are, then, the candidates tend to play to what people expect. Again, that’s just a hypothesis.

By: Keith Damon

Keith Damon — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 21:01:50 +0000

I live in one of the three precincts out of the 2309 precincts in Virginia that is represented by Ken Cuccinelli (Senate) and Steve Shannon (House). I can compare my two representatives very simply. Ken Cuccinelli is a principled leader and Steve Shannon is a back-bencher and a follower. I know exactly where Ken stands on the issues because his views are fully aligned with his personal philosophy of limited government and he has clearly defined the role of Attorney General. I never had any idea where Steve stood on the issues as my Delegate and now I have no idea what he would do as Attorney General. Public safety sounds good but how does that translate into fulfilling the total job of being Attorney General. In fact, I wonder if Steve really understands what the Attorney General is supposed to do for the people of Virginia.

I am excited because I know that a principled leader, Ken Cuccinelli, will be elected as Attorney General. I am also fortunate that starting next year I will not have Steve Shannon representing me in the House.

By: Rick Sincere

Rick Sincere — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 21:01:17 +0000

The trend over the past few elections has been for the candidates for attorney general to fall all over each other trying to prove that one is harder (or softer) on crime than the other.

The basis for this has been the misconception that the Attorney General is the chief law enforcement official in Virginia, the equivalent of a statewide Commonwealth’s Attorney.

In fact, if one were to draw an analogy, the Attorney General is more like a County Attorney or a City Attorney than he (or she) is like a Commonwealth’s Attorney.

The Attorney General has no prosecutorial authority under the Virginia Constitution. If an Attorney General wants a crime to be prosecuted, he/she has to refer the matter to a Commonwealth’s Attorney for action.

The Attorney General’s true duties are to advise the Governor and the General Assembly about the constitutionality of proposed rulemaking or legislation, and to defend Virginia’s laws when challenged in court.

Candidates for Attorney General who campaign as though they are seeking the job of chief prosecutor are misleading the voters. Sadly, almost all recent candidates for this post have traveled that path.