By now, those familiar with the AG campaign have heard it a million times. Troy King is a taxpayer hero for hiring big-time private trial lawyers and rewarding them with lavish contracts in order to sue pharmaceutical companies for Medicaid fraud. King has repeatedly trumpeted this action in press releases and attacked conservatives who have criticized this process.
Well, for someone who prides themselves on supporting conservative judges and principles, it must have been a bit of a shock to Troy King to see more than $274 million in these verdicts thrown out by the predominately-conservative Alabama Supreme Court last week. The vote was not even close, as the Court voted 8-1 to throw out the verdicts. This has to be a bit of a rebuke, both of King's conservative principles and for his decision to hire private trial lawyers altogether.
To the first point, King repeatedly prides himself as a conservative. He has trumpeted his support for conservative judges, and he has repeatedly refused to take actions which are arguably constitution and would benefit the state (enforcing gambling laws, ending the process of sheriffs pocketing money for prisoner meals, etc.) because it would supposedly overthrow his legitimate authority. He has regularly said that his role as AG is not to make law, but to enforce it. Some of this may be true enough, but either way, an 8-1 decision against King by the state's highest Court also calls his existing policies into question.
Conservatives have criticized state AGs who have hired private attorneys to engage in these sorts of lawsuits. Now, it appears that this was all for naught.
It's interesting, because this was one of the big reasons Troy King said we should re-elect him in 2010. He has repeatedly trumpeted his work to get this money into the state's General Fund. Now, it appears that this has fallen by the wayside, as well. We're still 8 months out from a primary, and already Troy King is running short on any reasons to send him back to Montgomery in 2010.
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This is the Attorney General who was just endorsed by the Alabama Fraternal Order of Police? The same one running against Luther Strange who just said he would do everything to get along with the district attorney's so they can hire trial lawyers to sue local companies. If you are an Alabama conservative you need to pull your head out of the hate Troy King bucket. You can't get more tough on crime that Troy King in my opinion and I have served as an officer in this state for almost 20 years and I've seen more than a few DA's and AG's and this guy is the best we have ever had in fighting crime.
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