He is not answering the questions, just beating around the bush. I personally think he dislikes that Natives get preference on Hunting and Fishing and all about Sport hunting and fishing...I hope that he doesn't mess with some of our Subsistence Laws on Hunting and Fishing.

http://www.thetundradrums.com/news/show/5419

Nominee says he’ll represent all Alaskans

ALEX DeMARBAN

April 02, 2009 at 9:36AM AKST

As an attorney, Wayne Anthony Ross led the fight that overturned the state’s rural subsistence law favored by rural residents many Alaska Natives.

In old newspaper articles published by the Anchorage Daily News roughly a decade ago, he was also called a critic of Indian Country.

Gov. Sarah Palin nominated him for the state’s attorney general last week. An appointment will require legislative approval.

I reached Ross, 66, at his private-practice office on Friday and asked about his stance on a rural subsistence preference and tribal sovereignty.

Where do you stand on rural subsistence preference today?

I think we’ve fairly well acclimatized ourselves to the current situation and one of the things I’d have to look at are what the results were of Tony Knowles’ previous litigation, but it’s an issue I’m probably not going to be dealing with because I think we’re working it out as Alaskans better than we have in the past.
There doesn’t seem to be the divisiveness that there was and I’m hoping that there won’t be.

When you say we’ve acclimatized ourselves, you mean people are happy with state and federal management of subsistence?

I’m more referring to the state program. We don’t seem to be fighting between urban and rural people as much anymore. I support the Alaska Constitution and that’s my official position and taking a position on other issues that may or may not come up would be a bit premature. I haven’t even got sworn in or confirmed. But I think Alaskans are getting along better than they did 10 or 15 years ago when we took on that lawsuit.

Also, you have been a critic of tribal sovereignty and I’m wondering where you stand on that today.

I’ve taken no positions on that at all. I just think that we’re all Alaskans and we need to work together and whatever system works best for the benefits of the state of Alaska is the one that I support.

You have been called in old newspaper articles a critic of Indian Country and tribal sovereignty.

I’ve been called a lot of things. But I have a different job now too. My job is to represent all Alaskans. And so when you represent a client you take one position. When you represent everybody you’ve got to do what’s best for everybody, and that’s what we’ve got to look at and see what’s best for everybody.

So when these old articles called you a critic, are you saying you were a critic back then and now you don’t plan to be?

I’m saying I represented clients in those days, and I now represent everybody.

Your predecessor headed up the rural affairs subcabinet that Palin put together. Are there any indications you will take that on?

I have no indication of what’s facing me at all. I’m like a deer in the headlights right now. Last I heard there were 382 attorneys at the Department of Law and now there’s over 500 in 12 departments, so I got a lot to learn and my instructions are to do what’s best for the state and the people of Alaska. That’s the word from my client, so that’s what I’m going to do.

You still don’t plan to retire any time soon?

The Lord didn’t put us on this earth to retire. We can retire when we’re under the ground.

This post has been edited by jchtrh: April 5th 2009 11:08 AM

http://www.adn.com/news/politics/story/762037.html

Lawmakers reject Ross as AG in historic vote


By SEAN COCKERHAM
Anchorage Daily News

(04/16/09 13:24:47)

JUNEAU - The Alaska Legislature voted 35 to 23 today to reject the confirmation of Wayne Anthony Ross, Gov. Sarah Palin's pick for attorney general.

According to Legislative Research, today's rejection of Ross is the first time in state history that a head of a state agency has failed to be confirmed by the Legislature. All the Democrats in the Legislature voted against Ross, but they were joined by nine Republicans, including the Senate president and House speaker.

"I think he is too controversial for the state of Alaska. We've got in some people's mind a controversial governor and I think that he just has too many controversies out there," said House Speaker Mike Chenault, a Nikiski Republican.

Even Ross' opponents in the Legislature had said only a few days ago that he had enough support to be confirmed despite huge opposition from Native groups, his calling gays "degenerates" in the 1990s, and allegations that he made offensive comments about women. But a tipping point appeared to come this week when he gave what lawmakers called bad and politicized legal advice to Palin about a fight she's having with lawmakers over a state Senate appointment.

Palin said the legislators who voted no didn't make themselves look good by rejecting an attorney general who strongly supports the issues important to Alaskans - gun rights, constitutional rights and developing the state's resources.

"I think there was a lot of politics of personal destruction involved in this and that's a shame. ...I am surprised that, for what I believe is some personal petty political reasons, some lawmakers chose not to support a candidate who fit that bill," she said in a telephone interview.

The governor is speaking tonight at a Right to Life event in Indiana.

Palin said the "hypocrisy" is that the state House last year unanimously passed a citation praising Ross as a distinguished Alaskan and vocal proponent of free speech whose career has been dedicated to defending individual rights.

"The hypocrisy there is quite glaring. I believe they need to be called out on that," Palin said.

Ross said after the vote that he would have been a good attorney general but will now go back to private practice as a lawyer.

"I got up this morning, I said 'Lord, whatever you've got in mind is fine,' and he let us know what he had in mind," he said.

"I had a neat office for two and a half weeks and I was attorney general under the law for two and a half weeks for the state of Alaska. And the big question I have now is whether they will put my picture up with the other (former attorney generals) for only two and a half weeks' service," Ross said.

sounds like a good deal he wasnt put in there. sounds like a sketchy fella.