From today’s Wall Street Journal Political Diary E-mail:
‘I’m Barely a Lawyer’ Is Jerry Brown’s Popular Boast
Ever since he was governor of California in the 1970s, Jerry Brown has focused on the very big picture, earning himself the nickname "Governor Moonbeam." As mayor of Oakland in the 1990s, he did come down to earth and record some progress on crime and development issues, but still he was never known as a detail guy.
Now he faces an embarrassing lawsuit in his current race to become California’s attorney general. One of the requirements of the office is that anyone seeking it must be a lawyer qualified to practice before the California Supreme Court for a minimum of five years prior to seeking the office. But Mr. Brown, a non-practicing lawyer, voluntarily paid dues and otherwise met the obligations to retain his status for only three of the past five years.
This slipup has prompted Tom Del Beccaro, chair of the Contra Costa Republican Party, to file a lawsuit seeking to have Mr. Brown declared ineligible to serve as Attorney General. Few people expect Mr. Brown to be barred from taking the oath of office if he defeats Republican State Senator Chuck Poochigian next month. But his lapse will remind voters that Mr. Brown is no ordinary lawyer and would bring his own highly personalized set of priorities to the office. That’s why Republicans are trying to emphasize the "flaky" elements of Mr. Brown’s background.
The problem is that for many California voters, those same personality quirks are attractive and even endearing. If voters want a sober, hard-as-nails Attorney General, Mr. Poochigian is probably their man. But Mr. Brown appeals to the entertainment strain in California voters that always enjoys a good show — and may not care that the paperwork hasn’t been filled in.
— John Fund