28—The Daily Collegian Friday, Oct. :tl, 1980 First attorney general election By JOHN SCHLANDEK Daily Collegian Staff Writer A 1978 amendment to the Pennsylvania Constitution enables voters>to elect an state attorney general for the first time in the Pennsylvania’s history. Before the amendment, the governor appointed the attorney general. A 1978 statewide referendum paved the way for the constitutional amendment, which is designed to make the attorney general more indepen dent of the governor. The referendum was sparked by corruption in the ad mininstration of former Gov. Milton J. Shapp and the lack of independence of the appointed attorney general from the governor’s office. Government experts hope the new method for selec tion of the attorney general will give the official greater Winner to shape office powers By JOHN SCHLANDEK Daily Collegian Staff Writer The man that the voters will select for the first attorney general in the state’s history will have the opportunity to shape and define the powers of the office. Vying for the distinction of being the first elected attorney general are Republican Leßoy S. Zimmerman, Democrat Michael A. O'Pake and Liber tarian Richard D. Fuerle. Although Gov. Dick Thornburgh sign ed legislation defining duties and povter sof the elected office, the law is subject to interpretation. Whoever wins the elec tion will have a large role in defining the office. Pennsylvania voters will see the office of attorney general on the ballot for the first time Tuesday. The governor previously appointed this officer, but he lost that right under a a 1978 amendment to the state constitution. Zimmerman, 45, of Harrisburg was Opponent charges corruption Auditor general meets attacks By JOHN SCHLANDEK Daily Collegian Staff Writer The race for the post of state auditor general features a all-out attack on the incumbent by one of his opponents. State Rep. James W. Knepper Jr, R- Allegheny County, challenges the in tegrity of Democratic incumbent A 1 Benedict. Benedict meets the attack with ap parent indignation and denial. Libertarian candidate Brian Sayago, a banking manager from Nazareth, is also running. Knepper claims Benedict has received campaign funds from persons named in' a recqjfjt state Crime Commission report... Patronage abuse has been rampant, also, Knepper claims. He says he has a list of 100 patronage employees. Traditional Starlight Today’s Your Last Chance Pick your favorite Art Carved class ring. Cut it out. Keep it with you for a while. Get an idea what it’s like to own the ring that says, “1 did it!” Then.have the genuine article fitted by the Art- Carved representative visiting campus today. You’ll have our newest selection of ring styles to choose from and a specialist who will make sure the fit is perfect. Plus, there are some incredible Art- Carved offers to cut the cost of your class ring . . . Deposit required. MasterChargo or VISA accepted CulCla ■ I ■ I i » ____i Any way you cut it, today is the best day to select your Art Carved class ring! /TORVED RINGS Ground Floor V .. . SYMBOLIZING YOUR ABILITY TO ACHIEVE. HUB enn State Fri. October 31 on campus @ Art Carved Co n ege Rings power as a watchdog over the administration, with the independence needed to battle corruption. The attorney general is the chief law enforcement of ficer for the state and the head of the Department of Justice. He appoints most attorneys for the state, in cluding local district attorneys. He works with and supervises district attorneys in en forcing criminal law, and he supervises the Office of Civil Law, which handles all civil cases.He also acts as legal advisor for some state offices. Attorney generals are now elected in more than 40 states. Gov. Dick Thornburgh recently signed a bill that gives criminal and civil powers to the attorney general. The attorney general was previously the governor’s legal counsel, but the Office of General Counsel will pro- ' N \ rf.' V'V district attorney of Dauphin County from 1965 to last January. . O’Pake, 40, of Reading who is a state senator has served in the Legislature for 12 years. of Monroeville is an Fuerle, attorney. O’Pake says the attorney general should be an administrator responsible for running the state Justice Depart ment smoothly. Knepper charges Benedict with “disgraceful and blatant macing” for collecting $170,000 in campaign contribu tions from his office employees. Benedict denies some charges and ap pears indignant at others, refusing to answer th^m. He claims he and his staff have discovered more than $153 million of misused or lost state funds, and he has saved taxpayers $33.5 million in un covered fraud and abuse, including Medicaid and welfare fraud. Benedict received publicity for expos ing out-of-state students at state colleges and universities paying iri-state' tuition rates.,. . He also established the TIP program for taxpayers to report instances of misused state money. Colorado Bouquet "lC Seahawk CUT your ties with the past during our “Great Ring Exchange!” Trading your old 10K gold high school ring for a new Art Carved college ring could save you as much as $9O. CUT the cost of a traditional or contemporary Siladium ring to just $74-95 a special Art Carved “Ring Week” discount up to $2O. CUT a smashing figure with a women’s class ring from our exciting new “Designer Diamond Collec tion." He adds that he will appoint an in dependentprosecutor to head the criminallaw office and a non-politician to head the organized crime and political corruption unit. •Zimmerman, however, says the at torney general should lead the battle against street crime, organized crime and public corruption. Handling state deeds, leases and contracts is also im portant, he says. Knepper has been a state represen tative for 10 years. He authored the state’s Sunshine Law, legislation design ed to keep political meetings open to the public. He is, chairman of the Urban Affairs Committee and state representative of the National Task Force on Urban Af fairs.He is also owner-president of Knep per Press Corp. The auditor general’s job is to review how taxpayers’ money is spent. He is responsible for ensuring that all money owed to the state is deposited in the Treasury and that money due public is disbursed legally and properly. The Department of the Auditor General, which he heads, postaudits the financial affairs of state government. Classic Unique bably take over this duty. In a written statement Thornburgh said,“This bill grants to the attorney general’s office strong law en forcement powers and keeps it independent and accoun table to the people. “It also recognizes the right of the governor and the executive branch of government to have their own legal representative through the creation of the Office of General Counsel.” The constitutional powers are subject to interpreta tion, however, and whoever is elected to the office could have an important role in further defining the powers and responsibilities. The powers and responsibilities of the office will change as experiences with the elected office dictate, legislative officials say. ] Illustration by Scott Smith Zimmerman accuses O’Pake of nothaving the experience for the job. He has said O’Pake, a state senator, has ex perience writing laws but no experience enforcing them. O’Pake has responded by saying thathe has more experience in making state government respond to people’s needs. O’Pake, very popular in his native Berks County, has drawn publicity as a hardworking legislator for his work as head of the Senate Judiciary Committee and for his role in the Senate’s probe of Medicaid fraud. Zimmerman, backed strongly by Thornburgh and former Gov. William F. Scranton, has been criticized by O’Pake as not being able to maintain the in dependence the office is supposed to have. O’Pake has drawn fire for running in the attorney general race while seeking re-election to the Senate. Treasurer - question of Caseys By JOHN SCHLANDER Daily Collegian Staff Writer Will the real Robert Casey please stand up? Republican candidate for state treasurer Sen. R. Budd Dwyer, Crawford County, contends the 1976 election of the treasurer was a fluke. Robert E. Casey of Johnstown was elected because he was confused with Robert P. Casey, a Scranton resident who had been a popular state auditor general from 1968 to 1976, Dwyer says. With a campaign fund of $866, Casey defeated former state Rep. Patricia Crawford in the 1976 election;?;; |k> the confusion over names may have helped him, but it does not make any difference now, he R. Budd Dwyer Bob Casey, Tory A, Dunn Thelma Hambright Frank Bubb Leßoy S. Zimmerman Michael A. O’Pake Richard D. Fuerle James W. Knepper, Jr. A 1 Benedict Darcy Richardson Brian Sayago claims. He says he has been a good treasurer. Casey said the Treasury achieved record interest earnings of more than $709 million in the 1979-80 fiscal year. Dwyer, 40, has been state Senator since 1970. Before 1970 he. served in the state House, where he was elected in 1964 as its youngest member on ly 24 years old. Dwyer holds three college degrees: Casey said he has no political ambi a bachelor’s in accounting and tion beyond re-election as state economics and a law degree, com- treasurer. pared to Casey’s two years of college. ' • However, Casey, 70, has 10 yeai;s of e other candidates are Socialist experience in the state Treasury:'. i Worker Crities:say Dwyer has not done that | Thelma and much in His-16"years in* the'stated l^ ran ’ t : Legislature. ‘ The state treasurer is the head of ' vHe is Senate Republican policy the Treasury Department. STATE TREASURER (VOTE FOR NOT MORE THAN ONE) ATTORNEY GENERAL (VOTE FOR NOT MORE THAN ONE) AUDITOR GENERAL (VOTE FOR NOT MORE THAN ONE) chairman and a member oi the state Republican Party executive committee. Casey has been accused by critics of junketeering. In the last two years he has attended 11 conventions, visiting Hawaii and Arizona while at tending conventions. These conventions have kept him away from his office for about 40 days. Republican Democratic Socialist Workers Consumer Libertarian Republican Democratic Libertarian Republican Democratic Consumer Libertarian Group issues Cunningham rating By TOM BOYER Daily Collegian Staff Writer The League of Woman Voters has Rep. Gregg L. Cunningham, R- Centre County, a “political accountabili- ty rating” of 40 percent, meaning that as ! a Representative Cunningham voted with the League’s position on two out of five issues the League surveyed. State Sen. J. Doyle Corman, R-Centre •County, was also given a rating of 40 percent. While the League does not endorse candidates for political office, it does take positions on issues. The five bills us ed by the League in compiling the rating are: < ;*} • Senate Bill 1834, now law, which in- .'■-■O3- ."u'fil' [ creased maximum truck' weights to J 80,000 pounds. The League opposed the j measure, Cunningham and Corman | voted for it. | • House Bill 3456, now law, which gave | the state primary responsibility for en forcing safety regulations in the disposal "of solid and hazardous wastes. Both the League and Cunningham supported the measure, Corman opposed it. n.-vo'l: ..,>lo* J' Candidates support reform bills By TOM BOYER Daily Collegian Staff Writer Candidates for state House of Representatives from the 77th district have indicated support for reform legislation sup ported by Pennsylvania Common Cause. According to the results of a questionaire distributed by [Common Cause to all candidates for state General Assembly, incumbent Rep. Gregg L. Cunningham, R-Centre County, sup ports the organization’s position on five of seven issues. Cunningham’s two opponents in Tuesday’s general election, Democratic nominee Robert C. Brazill (Bth-political science), and independent candidate Michael G. Day, indicated they support Common Cause’s position on all seven questions. survey questioned candidates on the following legislative issues (candidates supported the legislation unless SUPER SPRAY Self Service and Automatic Wash 2108 North Atherton Street ■hmb Look for our ad on The Other Side map. T-0 T , . < A SPACE AGE RADIO FANTASY CONCERT THE WHO, ONE OF ROCK AND ROLL’S ORIGINAL SUPER-GROUPS, WILL BE THE HEADLINE ACT IN AMSTERDAM ON SATCON I. OTHER ARTISTS TO APPEAR IN AMSTERDAM WILL INCLUDE: 808 DYLAN, THE KINKS, GENESIS, AND BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN. SATCON I, A 48-HOUR RADIO SPECIAL FEATURING THE BIGGEST NAMES IN ROCK TODAY, BEGINS NOV. IST AT 6 P.M. on -SATCON • House Bill 640, now law, which reformed the state’s divorce laws to allow unilateral divorce after three years of separation and review in court and alimony for economically dependent spouse, among other provisions. The League, Cunningham and Corman all supported the measure. • House Bill 382, now law, which allows local referendums to decide whether voters use electronic voting devices or paper ballots. The League and Corman supported the measure, Cunningham opposed it. • House Bill 2044. Passed by the Senate, it would remove from General Assistance rolls all those who refuse a bona fide job offer, and provide a tax credit to businesses employing general assistance recipients. The Leaue and Cormhn both supported it. • Senate Bill 579, passed by the House, which included provisions restricting medicaid funding for abortions, remov ing able-bodied persons from state welfare rolls, and capping funding for child welfare services. Opposed by the League, Cunningham voted for the bill. gk THE PARK FOREST |gb BUF F *’ 4^ QWK ROCK FM 97 otherwise indicated) • “Sunset” legislation, which would require periodic review of state agencies and abolishment of those agencies that are no longer needed. • Partial public financing of statewide election campaigns in which public funds could be used to supplement private con tributions. Cunningham said he opposes such legislaion. • Tightening the state’s .Sunshine Law to require govern ment agencies to open .their policymaking discussions to the public. ° Disclosure of lobbyist expenses • State ratification of the U.S. constitutional amendment granting the District of Columbia representation in the U.S. Congress. Cunnigham opposes the amendment. Cunningham, calling the rating “myopic,” said the rating only represents a small part of the important legislation voted on by the General Assembly in his term, and is not a good measurement of his whole performance. “I think the League makes a very serious mistake when it becomes involv ed in partisan political legislative issues,” he said. “I would gently admonish them to go back to doing what they do best, and that is the very superb job they do of inform ing voters on the qualifications and views of candidates for public office, and that they stay out of the lobbying business,” Cunningham said. Cunningham said the League’s rating was unfair because legislators cannot respond to explain every vote that was part of the rating. “They’re making a blanket categorical statement to which they know no candidate will ever be able to respond,” Cunningham said. “They themselves are creating a very misleading appearance.” Waxing and Custom Cleaning 238-4622 THE PATHFINDER SPECIAL PURCHASES UP TO 33% SAVINGS! Chamois Shirt Reg. 1 /3 JJ2Sfc by Frost proof 816 OFF 100% Wool Ji e jL[2o%] uSh Rag Sweaters $26.50 OFF Bristlecone Reg. 20% 6^OW Down Vest 860 OFF Levi Flannel Reg. 25% Shirts s 2o[oFFJs“|s Granite Stairway & AP 0/ ACC Jan Sport Daypacks few /O V/ll Fruit of the Loom Reg. 40% JJJDJf Thermal Tops & Bottoms 5 4 50 [OFF] $2 50 Sale Ends hr* 237-8086 November Ist 137 E. Beaver Ave. The Daily Collegian Friday, Oct. 31, 1980—29 Two October rallies in Harrisburg presented opposing positions on the pro-choice, pro-life controversy. Rep. Gregg L. Cunningham, R-Centre County, spoke at the pro-life rally with the young boy pictured here standing behind him on the stage. The woman on the left seems to be un decided about the issue, but the banger in the foreground presents a very strong statement in favor of pro choice. Photos by Renee Jacobs
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