Anchorage Daily News

Wayne Anthony Ross cuts a colorful and controversial figure in Alaska. Sarah Palin's choice for attorney general is a man of strong opinions on matters like subsistence hunting and fishing policies, gun rights, abortion and states' rights. He told Alaska legislators that he can put those personal views aside and enforce Alaska law as it is, not as he might wish it to be.

That approach blunted much of the controversy surrounding his nomination.

He could have cleared his way to easy confirmation but for one sad blind spot: He refuses to disavow past use of the term "degenerates" in referring to homosexuals.

When asked in a Senate confirmation hearing this week if he still believes gays are "degenerates," Ross refused to say. The unabashed man of strong opinions became evasive.

"My job is to represent all Alaskans. My personal opinions have no place," he said.

Yet he felt free to give his personal opinion on a number of other topics, including his belief that the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision on abortion rights, Roe vs. Wade, should be overturned, and his belief that a former client of his who assaulted anti-war protesters had behaved inappropriately.

Ross has been criticized by Alaska Native groups because he has been an outspoken opponent of giving rural Alaskans a priority for subsistence hunting and fishing. While we disagree with his stance, that is not a litmus test. Arguments over subsistence hunting and fishing rights have raged in Alaska for decades.

Other questions about Ross arose over allegations that long ago, he made remarks that sounded as if he thought domestic violence against one's wife was OK. The allegations are uncorroborated, and Ross denies them. He says he treats women with old-fashioned respect. We have seen no evidence to the contrary.

But his last expressed word on gays and lesbians is this: "degenerate." He cannot bring himself to disavow that hurtful bigotry against fellow Alaskans.

As Ross says, the attorney general does represent all Alaskans.

Ideally, Alaska's attorney general would be someone who embodies the best values of society, who respects the inherent worth and dignity of every law-abiding citizen.

Instead, Alaska is about to get an attorney general named Wayne Anthony Ross.

BOTTOM LINE: On this count, attorney general nominee Wayne Anthony Ross has stirred legitimate concerns.

Stop this

Governor prolongs fight over Juneau Senate seat

Gov. Sarah Palin needs to hark back to 2006 and the graciousness that helped her get elected. That version of Sarah Palin would not have made a petty, political circus of a simple appointment to the state Senate.

Circus is what we have now.

The governor was graceless in her reaction to former Sen. Kim Elton's appointment to the Obama administration and has continued in that vein in her battle with Senate Democrats over Elton's successor.

Juneau Democrats tweaked Gov. Palin earlier this year when they broke with tradition and submitted only one name, Rep. Beth Kerttula, as their choice for the Senate. Usually the party will offer three names to the governor, the governor chooses one and the party members of the Senate accept or reject the name. Traditionally, this has been done with good will and deference to party wishes.

By picking only Kerttula, the Democrats picked a fight. Gov. Palin responded in kind.

But this silliness has gone well beyond the Democrats' first offense.

After several sorry rounds, now the governor has submitted three names that include two applicants -- Tim Grussendorf and Joe Nelson -- that Senate Democrats already have rejected, and a third, Alan Wilson, who has been a Democrat for about six weeks.

Where's the adult supervision? It's not coming from the governor's office.

All right, Gov. Palin was not going to appoint Beth Kerttula. Democrats got that message. So they finally offered a decent compromise in Dennis Egan, son of Alaska's first state governor, Bill Egan. Gov. Palin said no.

Had she gracefully acquiesced, she'd have resolved the issue, restored Senate representation to Juneau and removed at least one source of discord between her and the Legislature.

It's what grown-ups do. Work things out.

The governor's abuse of this process suggests that perhaps it's time for a new way of filling vacancies that leaves out the governor. The Alaska Constitution gives lawmakers authority to decide how to fill legislative vacancies. Right now the law gives the governor a role, but the constitution does not require it.

Actually, the current law works well when there is give and take on both sides. Governor?

BOTTOM LINE: Gov. Palin needs to stop political shenanigans over Senate appointment.

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