HuAt for AG!

Hello all.

Many of you may not know me, I am HuAt and I'm running for Attorney General. I have taken some time off from NS in the past year or so in order to focus on RL and college. Having become involved again in the past months, I thought it appropriate to continue my legal career in TNP by running for AG. I have served prior as a Assistant Attorney General under then-AG PaulWallLibertarian42 and was the lead in investigator in [Criminal] Complaint: Falapatorious v. Flem..

As Attorney General I would like to appoint deputies that are new and eager to learn about the TNP legal system along with others who are more experienced in the proceedings. I believe that our legal system is effective and fair ecen if it is more seldom used than one might expect.

To echo many candidates of the past, I would work hard to ensure that complaints are taken up and investigated quickly and effectively in a manner that respects and enforces the law as interpreted by the Court.

I work to be fair and impartial in legal decisions and try only to focus on the facts of a case/complaint an investigation and trial ensues.

Whatever questions you all may have, I will be more than happy to answer.

I hope everyone will see that I am qualified and eager to work and give me your vote for Attorney General of The North Pacific.

Some would say that TNP should have a public defender office. How would you respond?

Thank you for the question, Mall.

I have no problems or qualms with a public defenders office. The legal code of TNP can be confusing and by allowing accused persons have access to persons with knowledge and understanding of the law is the only way that we can ensure that the justice system is fairly enforced. It is quite possible that the creation of such an office may be complicated and difficult but it should be studied and attempted in order to protect fairness in the justice system.

Good campaign!

What made you decide you'd like to run for this job?

It's been previously described as a thankless job. Would you agree?

mcmasterdonia:

Good campaign!

What made you decide you'd like to run for this job?

It's been previously described as a thankless job. Would you agree?

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Thanks for your questions, McM.

I decided to run for AG partially because I have always wanted to hold a position in the legal system of TNP (if you remember I have run for Court Justice). Another part of the reason I wanted to run was because I want to shape the AG's office somewhat. I wanted to make sure that we are teaching the law to those interested and that complaints are appropriately and effectively investigated and prosecuted. I would also want to work, as Mall had asked earlier, to create a public defenders office for TNP. This could begin as a Special Assistant AG possibly or something along those lines.

The position of Attorney General may be thankless but it has to be done and it is an important job. In a perfect world, the AG would rarely if ever be needed. That may be part of the reason that the Office needs a revamp of sorts. The Office needs to work with the Government to educate the populace on the law and to train citizens on the legal process. In short, the job of Attorney General may be thankless in its current form but potential expansions and restructures of the office could provide a more recognizable and appreciated office.

Being the AG you have to work with members of the Executive and form relations with them. If the event arose where you had to prosecute a member of cabinet, how would you be able to keep your relationship with that person separate from the trial?

Artemis:

Being the AG you have to work with members of the Executive and form relations with them. If the event arose where you had to prosecute a member of cabinet, how would you be able to keep your relationship with that person separate from the trial?

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Thanks for the question Artemis.

This is a great question. Obviously the AG has to have a relationship with the Executive branch of the region and this could potentially cause problems in the event of prosecution. The best way to keep the prosecution safe would be to refuse to have a relationship with the Cabinet; however, that seems absurd to me. The best answer I can give is that of following the law and the evidence. While, if a complaint were brought against a member of the Cabinet, I may not WANT to believe what is being alleged, I would be required, as AG, to investigate and determine if there is satisfactory evidence to prosecute. If the evidence is there, I would carry out my responsibility as a prosecutor. If the evidence is not substantial, I would decline prosecution. While this seems like an obvious answer, it is the truth. Personal relationships should have no bearing on prosecution decisions.

While I have said all the above, I would add one other thing. If I, or my staff, thought that I had too close a relationship with the accused to oversee actions, I would recuse myself and place the complaint in the hands of the appropriate Assistant/Deputy AG.

I hope this answers your question in full.

What are your opinions on the various Requests For Review both currently being heard and recently decided?

Drasnia:

What are your opinions on the various Requests For Review both currently being heard and recently decided?

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Thank you, Drasnia for what may be the longest answer in a campaign thread for this election.

Let me preface this with the following:
This could very well be one of the most confusing cases that the Court has encountered in a long while. Since I have not been a party to the cases, I have not been involved in the case at all and am drawing my information and opinion from briefs submitted by the current AG’s office, other TNPers, and from my own research and interpretation. I would also say that there are times that I disagree with the law but understand that the law is what is being decided, not my opinion. Things that I WISH would happen and things that legally SHOULD/MUST happen are very different.


In regard to the Request submitted on 11/27/2017 “The Power of the Regional Assembly to define emergency situation” I agree with the ruling of the Court. The Court should not have accepted the case because the complainant had no standing nor had any law been passed nor enacted by any government official. Had the Regional Assembly passed the proposal and enacted it into law, the Court would have then been able to accept the Request.


Per the Request submitted on 11/28/2017 “the ability of the RA to violate the sovereignty of residents” I believe that the Court acted prematurely in accepting the Request. The Regional Assembly had yet to enact any law regarding the possible emergency situation therefore the Court had no legal authority nor right to accept the Request.


The Request made by SillyString on 12/1/2017 “The Court’s Illegal Review of an RA Proposal” is where things begin to get hairy. I agree with the concept that SilyString was arguing: the Court had no authority to accept the previous Request for Review because the proposal in question was still just a proposal NOT a law. However, I also believe that the facts of the case at the time that SillyString submitted the Request had not changed and therefore due to the Court’s interpretation of the law and its previous rulings should not have been accepted. Personally, I believe that all actions of the Court SHOULD be reviewable given they are a government entity responsible to the people of the region.

Mall, as I’m sure you will ask, the point you brought up as to the mootness of the Request is definitely valid. It’s possible that the Request should have been declined because there was no recourse for the Court to take to correct the problem.

I also don’t believe that the Court should take potential future precedent into consideration when deciding cases. The Court should rule solely on the facts of the case and the law and precedent texts.


Finally, the most recent Request made on 12/24/2017 “The scope of the review power of the court and court decisions” I agree wholeheartedly with the Attorney General’s brief. The Court’s decision to accept the case yet to not actually rule on the Request filed by SillyString is a mockery of the law, precedent, and procedure. The Court should, in this case, rescind its previous ruling and issue a new ruling on the SillyString Request. Even though there is a question as to whether the Request should have been accepted, nonetheless the Court accepted it and should issue a ruling that actually address the complaint.

I think you're experienced and qualify and I'm glad you're TNP active again

"As Attorney General I would like to appoint deputies that are new and eager to learn about the TNP legal system along with others who are more experienced in the proceedings."

I love this part ^

Lots of nations want to get more into legislation

Yuno:

I think you're experienced and qualify and I'm glad you're TNP active again

"As Attorney General I would like to appoint deputies that are new and eager to learn about the TNP legal system along with others who are more experienced in the proceedings."

I love this part ^

Lots of nations want to get more into legislation

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Thank you for your comment, Yuno.

I hope that the rest of the region feels the same way and will give me the opportunity to serve.

As a follow-up, what would be your plan of action in regards to these R4Rs if elected Attorney General?

Second question: What would be your first acts of office if elected?

Drasnia:

As a follow-up, what would be your plan of action in regards to these R4Rs if elected Attorney General?

Second question: What would be your first acts of office if elected?

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I believe that the Court should rule in the SillyString request that it cannot review the actions or proposals of the Regional Assembly prior to the enacting of a law thereby limiting itself from ruling on the similar matters in the future. The Court should also rule, in my opinion, that it has the authority to review its own actions as a governmental agency.


As to what my first actions would be as Attorney General, I would first send out a request for applications for Deputy and Assistant Attorneys General. Once the applications are in I would discuss and make my appointments. I would be willing to have any current Assistants or Deputies stay on in some capacity if they so wished and I thought they would serve as an asset to the Office.
I would also quickly begin discussions with the current AG and other appropriate parties to understand and try to develop a plan of action on the series R4Rs referenced earlier.

Thanks for your answers. I have one final one.

Arguably, you are a status quo candidate, so why should we vote for you over the incumbent, Goyanes?

Drasnia:

Thanks for your answers. I have one final one.

Arguably, you are a status quo candidate, so why should we vote for you over the incumbent, Goyanes?

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I would argue that I am not solely a status quo candidate. I think some actions that the Office has taken should be continued and I would hope to continue those. I would also, as Mall pointed out earlier, begin creating a public defenders office of sorts; I would presume that this office would be an offshoot of the AG's at least in its early stages. I want to expand outreach from the Office and make sure that everyone in the region has the opportunity to learn what the law means and how it works. I also want to work with the Court and the RA to try to simplify the Legal Code, as I've said before, it is confusing. These are not things that would happen on the first day, as you asked earlier, the first thing any official must do is setup their team of supporters and advisors that will allow them to do their job.

I would be remiss if I did not say that Goyanes is a very capable and, from what I've seen, effective Attorney General. With this in mind I would say that however the vote goes over the next few days, TNP would be in great shape in regards to the chief prosecutor.

It very well may be that Goyanes and I are very similar candidates with similar ideas. However, I do believe that I should be elected. I am always an advocate for bringing in fresh eyes and discussing new ideas. I want to get more people involved in the legal system. I want to improve the system we have. I want those interested to learn what the legal side of the region has to offer. And I want to serve the citizens of The North Pacific.

I hope this answers the question to your satisfaction, Drasnia. I do greatly appreciate all the questions you have posed: they were all germane and thought provoking and I enjoyed answering them.

If anyone else has any questions or comments, feel free to post them here or, if you don't want everyone to see, you can send me a message and I will reply as quickly as I can.