Somebody must be running a special on bad news for female Democrat AGs and Democrat AG candidates. The news that has hit these Democrat candidates raises questions serious questions about the political, legal, and policy judgment being exercised by these future Democrat leaders.
Truth-o-meter
First, is Texas Democrat attorney general candidate Barbara Ann Radnofsky gets torched by the Austin American Statesman’s truth-o-meter for claiming with zero factual, or even anecdotal backup, to her claim that the attorney general’s office requires rape victims to pay for their own rape kit. From the Austin American Statesman:
We wondered whether Radnofsky’s statement was true. This is what we found:
Under current state law, sexual assault victims in Texas should never have to pay for their forensic exams, which are done by medical professionals to collect physical evidence for the investigation and prosecution of sexual assault suspects. Local law enforcement agencies are responsible for paying hospitals for rape kits in cases in which the victims report the crimes. Those agencies can seek reimbursement of up to $700 through the Crime Victims’ Compensation Fund, which is administered by the attorney general’s office. If a victim chooses not to report the crime, the Texas Department of Public Safety is responsible for paying for the exam and getting reimbursement from the fund.
Come on Radnofsky – Texas deserves better than what you’re delivering.
The next gem comes from Connecticut in what appears to be have been generated from some Democrat on Democrat interaction regarding whether or not Democrat Secretary of State, and now attorney general candidate Susan Bysiewicz (you can say that again) meets the basic requirements to serve as Connecticut’s next attorney general. The Hartford Courant’s Capitol Watch Blog reported:
Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz’s legal qualifications to run for state attorney general – a candidacy she formally announced Wednesday – were questioned Thursday on the basis that, even though she is an attorney, she may not have spent sufficient time in the actual practice of law.
And then a little further down:
State Rep. Cameron Staples, who is considering running for attorney general himself, jumped on the issue late Thursday and said that Bysiewicz clearly has a problem. He rejected the statements this week by Bysiewicz that serving as the Secretary of the State is, in essence, running a public-interest law firm through the supervision of lawyers in the office.
“That’s like saying the CEO of a corporation, who has a law degree, practices law just because there’s a law department in the corporation,” Staples said. “The Secretary of the State’s office, with all due respect, is not a law office. She is the CEO of the office. She’s not the lawyer in charge of the lawyers.”
In the same way, Staples said, a mayor of any town does not directly oversee the lawyers on a daily basis. That would be the job of the town attorney, and the mayor could not be considered as practicing law, he said.
“That does not meet the standard of the statute as I read it,” Staples said Thursday night. “Overseeing lawyers in an administrative capacity is not practicing law. I think she’s got a problem. I think she needs to look at another office.”
He added, “This is what happens when you choose your office without reading the requirements.”
That last line was really a harsh ding – but hey all’s fair when you have an open seat and a contested primary. And yes – what makes it even more fun is that this just isn’t a blog story – it’s generating T.V. news coverage as well.
UPDATE ON THE BYSIEWICZ STORY: According to this article, she’s doing her level best to keep this story alive and kicking – raising more and more questions about her qualifications for the top legal job.
Last, but probably tops on the national news list, is the massive campaign fail being executed by Massachusetts Democrat A.G. Martha Coakley – she’s running in the U.S. Senate special election against Republican state senator Scott Brown to fill the open “Kennedy” seat in the Bay State. She’s had more downs than ups in this campaign – talking about her extensive foreign policy experience, expounding on her insight into the war on terror, roughing up the press – just to name a few.
And now, the Washington Examiner reports that Democrat strategist are saying the “bottom has fallen out of her poll numbers” while the the Boston Herald reports a Democrat strategist saying that Coakley’s campaign strategy has been “breathtakingly ignorant” and “incompetent”. Not exactly the type of buzz you want generated by your own team about your slam dunk election to the U.S. Senate. And to add insult to injury, Democrat insiders are comparing Coakley’s failing campaign to, are you ready for this, none other than failed Virginia Democrat gov candidate Creigh Deeds. Cool huh?
Not the best of news days for you if you’re a female Democrat who is either, or wants to be attorney general of your state.