Pubdate: Mon, 07 Jan 2002 Source: Orange County Register (CA) Copyright: 2002 The Orange County Register Contact: http://www.ocregister.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/321 Author: Bill Lockyer Note: Mr. Lockyer is California's attorney general. Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?115 (Cannabis - California) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?345 (Hallucinogens) LOCKYER TAKES HIS STAND As a devoted reader of your editorials, please forgive me for being confused about your views after reading the very strange commentary that ran in your paper last week ["Attorney general is breaking state law," Opinion, Dec. 28]. Your editorial first criticizes me for not prosecuting a handful of local agencies who you blithely accuse, without any supporting evidence, of violating the state's anti-affirmative action law, Proposition 209. That law makes no mention of the attorney general, but it does specifically authorize any group or individual with evidence that a government agency is breaking the law to bring suit to stop it. The Pacific Legal Foundation and other interested groups have done this and the system seems to be working just fine. Next, you scold me for enforcing state and federal anti-trust laws in the Microsoft lawsuit. I will continue to work for a fair and enforceable settlement of the case. Finally, you chastise me for enforcing the state law that prohibits use of hallucinogenic mushrooms, possibly because you think it's all right for medical marijuana advocates to possess and use this dangerous drug. To summarize: You want me to stop enforcing state drug laws and laws that protect California businesses and consumers, but you want me to increase enforcement of another law the Pacific Legal Foundation and other private parties are specifically empowered to enforce on their own. You were right in stating the attorney general isn't elected to decide which laws deserve to be enforced. But neither was the Register. Bill Lockyer, Sacramento - --- MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager