ustxtxb_obs_1990_02_09_50_00010-00000_000.pdf

DANNA BYROM Primarily ethnic and racial. I think there is little argument that can be made that a spotlight needs to be shined on that particular problem. If there is any system that can operate fairly and equitably, and justly in government, it must be the system of the administration of justice. And the perception and the impression of equity and fairness with regard to that system is critical, critical to the public interest, not just for minorities but all Texans. It’s one that I intend to highlight as attorney general. Drug testing. Is there an easy way to say where you stand on that issue? There seems to be divisions to the question. One is private sector. One is public sector. In general, I will say I am troubled by those who are of the opinion that indiscriminate testing is appropriate. I don’t believe it is appropriate. And I suspect that the attorney general will have some opportunity to play a role on this issue and precisely what role I’m really not sure. AIDS funding. Mattox has released an opinion to release a certain amount of money to groups that do AIDS work. Would you have done the same thing? I’m not really familiar. What The story was that there are laws in this state that prohibit certain sexual acts. The Legislature passed some funding, as I understand it, to allow for the funding of AIDS groups, community groups. And there was some money that was suspended because there were certain groups who were seen to be advocating these sorts of sexual acts. I would have done the same thing Mr. Mattox did. Environment. What kind of environmental attorney general would you be? . . . As a general matter we rank either first or second in relation to the other states in virtually every area of evaluation, our water, our air, our landfills. I put out several months ago a position paper that includes a 10-point initiative with regards to ways the attorney general can impact significantly upon that particular public policy concern. Chief among those, I would like to see a situation where the attorney general is given independent discretion and authority to initiate proceedings rather than have to wait until one of the boards, agencies, regulatory commissions brings the suit to the attorney general. We do not have a unified cohesive state environmental policy. We have the water commission making independent isolated judgements. We have the Railroad Commission doing likewise. We have the Health Department doing likewise. A whole host of others. There is no coordination, no integration. I think that the attorney general is the logical 10 FEBRUARY 9, 1990 place for that environmental policy to be developed. If that’s going to happen, the attorney general is going to need some additional statutory authority and discretion. A few things to sum up here. We started the interview, and I wrote down the quotation ” an awful lot of good for an awful lot of people.” . . . I thought Dan Morales is a liberal, and that’s the way people are going to perceive him. . . .1 know look at the record … I read the record and I’m not disagreeing with you. I’m just saying that it’s a perception [that you’re conservative] and that’s probably to your advantage. In November, clearly it is. The second big question on my mind was how big an advocate for the consumer you would be, insurance, utilities. The impression you seem to be conveying to me is that you see yourself in that office as an inevitable advocate. That’s a fair characterization. And that the relationship between the AG’ s office and the business community is necessarily an adversarial one? I would say the relationship between the attorney general’s office and much of the business community, yes, necessarily they’re going to be at odds, not with regard to every issue, not with every sector of the business community. But simply by its very nature. FOY example, much of the chemical industry with regard to some of the initiatives I’ve included in my plan. I suspect they don’t like