Attorney General

Willamette Week's Nigel Jaquiss has a cover story on the state attorney general race between former federal prosecutor John Kroger and state legislator Greg Macpherson.

Here's some highlights:

• "'I prosecuted Enron, and Greg’s firm represented them,' says Kroger."

• Eugene city attorney and Philip Morris tobacco lawyer Bill Gary boosts Macpherson for his work in cutting the cost of PERS: '“He’s shown exactly the kind of political courage that it takes to be AG,' Gary says."

• "Macpherson differs with Kroger on Measure 11, the law that provides mandatory minimum sentences for violent crimes. Simply put, Macpherson says he’s more willing to consider reducing sentences. 'We’ve gone on a prison-building boom and underinvested in other services,' he says."

• Consumer advocate Dan Meek criticises Macpherson for voting against a bill to close a loophole that allowed Enron to overcharge customers $1 billion: "'Macpherson was one of only two D’s in the legislature who voted against 408,' says utility lawyer Dan Meek."

Both Kroger and Macpherson are Democrats and there is no Republican challenger, so voters will decide the race in May.

Here's an earlier EW cover story on the race:

Just after EW went to press with this week's cover story on John Kroger, the outsider hoping to shake up the Oregon AG's office, Kroger announced that he'd been endorsed by former Gov. John Kitzhaber. Read the press release here .

The Kitzhaber endorsement balances the endorsement by current Gov. Ted Kulongoski of Kroger's Democratic primary opponent Rep. Greg Macpherson.