AG: Hardy Myers makes it official.

HardymyersIt's not a well-known fact (even the media gets it wrong all the time), but there's no term limit for Oregon's Attorney General.

Even so, earlier today, Hardy Myers announced that he would not seek a fourth term as the state's top attorney. From the O:

Attorney General Hardy Myers announced Tuesday that he would not seek a fourth term in office.

"This decision is not the result of any waning of my desire to serve the people of Oregon as attorney general," said Myers, a Democrat.

Rather, he'll be turning 68 in October and running for re-election "would have me pushing hard on the age envelope." ...

"My decision is second the result of the conviction that the department of justice deserves and benefits from regular change in its highest leadership with the result of the infusion of new energy and perspectives," he said.

So, what's next?

Although no candidates have announced they are running, possible successors include state Rep. Greg Macpherson, D-Portland, and John Kroger, a former federal prosecutor and professor and Lewis & Clark Law School. Both said they would have announcements soon about their plans.

Discuss.

  • anonymous (unverified)
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    There's a reason he's known as "Hardly Matters". 'Bout time he woke up and smelled the coffee.

  • Grant Schott (unverified)
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    I met Hardy and Mary Ann Myers in 1996 when I was working on my first job, managing a state senate race against Ferrioli in Eastern OR (Kevin Campbell lost by just 4%)and Hardy was running for AG.) We had a connection because we grew up in neighboring counties, and I still consider them friends, as do many of you.

    Hardy was a great House Speaker during the trying economic times of the late '70s and early '80s. The previous speaker, Phil Lang, had been effectively deposed by the Republicans and six Democrats ("The six pack", which included our Governor), and Hardy was able to work with all sides and keep the state afloat.

    As AG candidiate in '96, Hardy came out of the private sector to beat Kevin Mannix in the D primary. As AG, he has not shrived for media attention, but to do his job with the judicious professionalism that is Hardy.

    We need more public servants like Hardy Myers.

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    Wow.. a worthless comment by an anonymous troll. Color me shocked!

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    There's your proof that Mr. Anony is a right-winger, despite his faux-Democrat stance in some other threads. Only the righties call him that. Next, he'll start using "Democrat" as an adjective.

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    I met Hardy and Mary Ann at the Oregon Democrats Summit in 2003. They attended a presentation that I made about politics and technology -- took notes and asked questions. It was great to see 'em just joining all the other grassroots Democrats going from session to session, eating lunch in the big hall, and not walking around like "big shots" or anything. Them's good people.

  • Tom Civiletti (unverified)
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    Hardy has been a great public servant - even if we are on opposite sides of a lawsuit.

    I suggest term limits on Stoel Rives attorneys serving in public office.

  • Jonathan (unverified)
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    It is time for Oregon to elect John Kroger. Oregon needs an Attorney General with experience as a prosecutor. John Kroger has the experience to tackle Oregon's meth crisis, serious child abuse, unchecked pollution and environmental degradation, poor child support enforcement, and countless consumer rip-offs. We need an AG who has experience in the court room. John Kroger has the experience working as a prosecutor in New York and helping to prosecute the crooks at Enron.

  • Oregon Lawyer (unverified)
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    I just want to mention that Oregon also needs an Attorney General who is an Oregon lawyer. John Kroger took the Oregon bar exam last month.

    I have worked for three Oregon Attorneys General, including Hardy. I can attest to Hardy's integrity, thoughtfulness, and professionalism. He has worked hard for our state in his many years of public service, and he certainly wasn't in it for the money.

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    Thank you Hardy for a job well done. We have two terrific candidates to replace him. Both Kroger and Macpherson are up to the task, though I'm leaning toward Kroger right now. Oregon wins again!

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    Hardy Myers is a dedicated public servant and I would like to thank him for his years of serving Oregonians.

    But looking forward...

    John Kroger is the best choice to bring in the "new energy and perspectives" that Myers mentioned in his statement. His experience as a federal prosecutor, policy analyst and law professor give him the know-how to be the aggressive AG that Oregon needs.

    Read what I've written on Blue Oregon about Kroger...

    Here

    And Here

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    My biggest concern is that Kevin Mannix is a likely candidate for the Republicans. No rumors yet, but it seems probable -- and he could raise big money in a great big hurry from his friend the Las Vegas sexual hypnotist.

  • Matthew Sutton (unverified)
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    Thank you for your public service Hardy Myers!

    <hr/>

    IN OTHER NEWS, SENATOR BARACK OBAMA WILL BE SPEAKING IN PORTLAND ON SEPTEMBER 7TH! Oregon is about to be Baracked and it will never be the same!

  • stan (unverified)
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    Kevin Mannix? Jeez Kari you should ban yourself for the day just for bringing up his name.

  • Taoiseach (unverified)
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    You can take a closer look at the Macpherson-Kroger race that's a-brewing over at the new Beaver Boundary, where I've got a post-announcement analysis.

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    John Kroger spoke to a large crowd of Jackson County Democrats in late June exploring the possibility of a run for AG. Greg Macpherson is scheduled to speak to the Jackson County Dems on October 25th.

    Hardy Myer's served our state as AG for 3 terms. He leaves with my graditude and heartfelt thank you for serving all of us well and honorably.

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    Oregon Lawyer,

    I agree totally with your assessment of Hardy Myers; however, his "integrity, thoughtfulness, and professionalism" have nothing to do with his being an "Oregon lawyer." Your conflating possession of these positive character traits with being an "Oregon lawyer" (whatever that may be) is intellectually flawed. John Kroger too possesses "integrity, thoughtfulness, and professionalism" whether or not he fits your definition of an "Oregon lawyer."

    Moreover, there is tacit implication in your post that John Kroger is somehow "in it for the money," while I don't think that was the intent of your post, I would greatly appreciate a clarification.

    John Kroger is a good and earnest person, and an excellent attorney with a stellar resume; the state could do no better than to elect him as the next Attorney General, no matter how recently he sat for the Oregon bar.

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    Before I make any comment on his possible replacement(s), I think it's appropriate to give Hardy Myers his due. He has been excellent in keeping Oregon's laws on an even keel, approaching his job with a welcome mixture of courtesy and professionalism.

    I wish all the best to Hardy and his family, and wish him a well-earned retirement.

  • BlueNote (unverified)
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    Hardy is a good guy. Even my Republican partners respect him.

    Some of us who have lived and practiced law in the NW for 20 or 30 years are a bit skeptical about folks like Kroger from the east coast who fly in, run for AG, position themselves to run for Gov. or Senator, and then, if things don't go well, head back to the east coast. Perhaps Kroger was born here, or his wife is from here, or he loves fly fishing in the Deschutes and therefore belongs here. But you do have to acknowledge our skepticism.

  • E.P. (unverified)
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    Some of us who have lived and practiced law in the NW for 20 or 30 years are a bit skeptical about folks like Kroger from the east coast who fly in, run for AG, position themselves to run for Gov. or Senator, and then, if things don't go well, head back to the east coast.

    But you do have to acknowledge our skepticism.

    He's a teacher at one of the top private law schools in the country. He's prosecuted high profile cases at the federal level and he's helped put a lot of bad men behind bars. But he's not good enough for Oregon AG? Why don't you tell me why you question Kroger's motives? I'd love to know.

    And as for acknowledging your skepticism, you forced it upon me. I'd rather ignore the views of a holier-than-thou nativist. I want the best people our state has to offer in leadership positions. I could care less where their origins are.

  • pennoyer (unverified)
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    John Kroger too possesses "integrity, thoughtfulness, and professionalism" whether or not he fits your definition of an "Oregon lawyer."

    The definition that Oregon Lawyer was going for was probably 'someone who has passed the state bar'. Until Kroger passes the bar, he's not really a credible candidate. He'll find out on 9/13 if he passed.

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    folks like Kroger from the east coast who fly in, run for AG, position themselves to run for Gov. or Senator, and then, if things don't go well, head back to the east coast.

    I think that's a weak argument for two reasons. First, you're projecting your own suspicions of what Kroger's future intentions are, which are not known to any of us (and possibly not even to him). But second, it's a weak argument because it seems to me that it's a great thing when people choose to live in a place, instead of defaulting to it because of inertia. I'm not saying that that's what happened in the case of anyone here (although if you looked at a scatter graph of my high school classmates in Maryland, you'd see a fine sample of the latter).

    Going back to the first reason, also, it bears mentioning that it's likely Kroger is a loyal enough Democrat that he would not run against either Senator Wyden or Senator Novick. %^>

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    Some of us who have lived and practiced law in the NW for 20 or 30 years are a bit skeptical about folks like Kroger from the east coast who fly in, run for AG...

    Actually, reading a biography of him, John Kroger didn't fly in from New York. He biked in. Seriously. Took him three months.

    If that ain't true Oregon spirit, I don't know what is.

  • LT (unverified)
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    So, Kroger is a nationally famous lawyer who has been DPO finance chair.

    I can see the slogan now: Vote Kroger, the nationally famous prosecutor, for Oregon AG.

    What does Kroger know about Oregon politics?

    As much as Hardy--I don't think so! I have admired Hardy Myers back to his days in the legislature.

    As far as Kevin, I have met Republicans who don't have much use for him, so don't nominate Mannix for AG quite yet.

  • Miles (unverified)
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    What does Kroger know about Oregon politics?

    I can't resist spillover from the Gonzalez thread. . . does it matter whether the Oregon AG understands Oregon politics? Is that the AG's job?

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    Completely agree with Miles' question. I don't know who I am supporting yet, but I do know that "knowledge of Oregon politics" is quite low on my list of qualifications to be AG. The less "politics" in this job, the better.

  • Mssr. T (unverified)
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    Hardy who?

  • ellie (unverified)
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    I'm just glad to have not one but two impressive (potential) AG candidates. Macpherson probably is the favorite but I'm a fan of Kroger. (And, for the record, I'm a native Oregonian and I don't give a damn where he's from.)

  • in the building (unverified)
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    Having worked closely with the AG's office on both public safety and elections legislation, the answer is YES - knowledge of politics matters. It's not the main thing the AG does and there are excellent attorneys in the AG's office who take the lead on a lot of the legislation. Plus Kroger is strategic and savvy so I imagine he'd do just fine. But McPherson's experience in the legislature will help him on the legislative front.

  • John Lanning (unverified)
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    Is there any discussion about Floyd Prozanski(?) running for Attorney General.

    He's my State Senator and a local District Attorney. He has worked with local groups that help abused woman and children and he was the leader in fighting predatory payday lenders in Oregon. I think he would be an amazing Attorney General.

    Just my two cents,

    John

  • Big Barton (unverified)
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    God is not so good as to give us Kevin Mannix to run against.

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    Any chance Eliot Spitzer is available? Frankly, I'd like to see an aggressive, consumer-oriented, media hungry AG who can get out front on issues for once.

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    Hey everybody... It's Macpherson, not McPherson or MacPherson or MacPerson...

  • Tom Civiletti (unverified)
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    Chris Bouneff wrote:

    "I'd like to see an aggressive, consumer-oriented, media hungry AG who can get out front on issues for once."

    Like Dan Meek, perhaps?

  • Ernie (unverified)
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    Kari, Kevin Mannix won't run. He'll have initiatives on the '08 ballot which he hopes will propel him to the governor's mansion.

  • Kate (unverified)
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    <h2>Our state (and Washington, too), has a growing underground economy. The attorney general and the legislature needs to fully implement the "Welfare Reform Act", of the 90's. The legislature must include the self employed/ contract labor new hire reporting. California has been doing this since 2001. Oregon and Washington pay out apox. $1600.00, per month, in benefits to children not receiving child support simply because the non-custodial parents' jobs aren't "seen" by the government. New Hampshire did a study that 95% of self employed people were past due. Many were not reporting income or under reporting income in order to not pay tax, either. I'm progressive but I really despise the growing crime here.</h2>
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