Opinion: Protecting public trust
By Jerry Kilgore
The Oklahoman
June 1, 2009
We have seen a dramatic transformation in the role of our state attorneys general that has touched every American. For example, today cigarette makers don’t find it nearly so easy to market cigarettes to our children. This increased role and the increased visibility that comes with it means attorneys general must work that much harder to maintain public confidence in the integrity of the office.
State attorneys general once held relatively low-profile roles, serving as legal advisers for governors, state agencies and wronged consumers. In the past decade, that role has changed. State attorneys general of both parties, including Oklahoma’s Drew Edmondson, have been confronted with some of the most significant issues of our day in law enforcement, tobacco control and the subprime mortgage crisis.
