Clarion-Ledger from Jackson, Mississippi • Page 9

CLAR)0UEDGRCOM WEDfCSDAY, FEBRUARY 1 9, 2003 TVECLARXWEDGER 9A States united under Moore's vision --AttorneyGeneral timeline Of Mike MOOre; his career Performance in tobacco lawsuit called groundbreaking By Jerry MHcneil Mike Moore was born on Aprt 3. 1 952, in Jackson. He graduated from Pascagoula public schools, the University of Mississippi and the Ole Miss law school. Moore and his wife, the former Tisha Wood of Pascagoula, have a son, Kyle, 16. "That is a huge loss not only to Mississippi, but to the country.

He's probably one of the most Inspirational attorney generals in the country." Washington state Attorney General Christine Gregoire Gregoire private sector will allow Moore to have more take-home pay, Minor said. "He's never made any money in his career. People misunderstand. He's always just worked for what the public wages are." Gregoire said 6he doesn't believe Moore is driven by money. "He and I always said, We are the richest people in the world because we got to contribute to kids' she said.

In the tobacco negotiations, Moore proved deft at getting factions to unite behind a common cause, she said. "He gets along with Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians and vegetarians because he's always driven by what's the right thing to do. I don't think his chances are gone. I think they'll abound in the future." In a few weeks, Moore will be a keynote speaker in her state, talking about the decline in teen smoking in such states as Washington and Mississippi, she said. She hopes Moore will return soon to public office because he's needed.

Whatever be decides to do, she said. "I know he'll stay involved with kids. That will forever be his passion." Past and present colleagues on Tuesday bemoaned the loss of Mike Moore as the state's attorney general. "That is a huge loss not only to Mississippi, but to the country," said Washington state Attorney General Christine Gregoire. "He's probably one of the most inspirational attorney generals in the country.

"He cares passionately about Mississippi, about kids, about raising the poverty level, about health care costs." The leadership of Moore, a past president of the National Association of Attorneys General, proved indispensable in the negotiations that led the tobacco industry to pay $25 billion to the states, Gregoire said. "Here's a man who was alone, who went out with one vision. Nobody else ever had the courage to take on the tobacco industry," she said. Past New York Attorney Gener- al Dennis Vacco said he doesn't fault Moore for stepping down and still believes the attorney general may run for higher office. As negotiations in the tobacco case moved toward the first settlement, Vacco said, he worked closely with Moore, who kept in close contact with states, the White House and others.

"These are part of the treacherous waters Mike had to navigate," Vacco said. Moore's efforts proved innovative in uniting state attorneys general with diverse views, he said. "This was truly a multi-state effort that, by its end, had an impact on every state in the nation. That was groundbreaking," Vacco said. Another innovation was involving private lawyers to handle the litigation, he said.

"Even though we were criticized, we thought this was the best possible way to handle iL" The best evidence that Moore changed the political landscape came months later when an opinion column in The Wall Street Journal bashed this newfound power by attorneys general. Vacco said. Veteran journalist Bill Minor of Jackson called Moore "one of the really great public servants of this state. He is a reformer in a job where there have been very few reformers." Minor said it's possible Moore may run for the U.S. Senate in 2006.

"I think that's been a longtime goal of his," he said. "He's never had an appetite to run for governor." Working as an attorney in the the art and science of medicine and the betterment of public health. July 1997: Moore's office assists in the investigation of the 1 966 killing of Vernon Dan-mer, a Hattiesburg businessman and NAACP leader. (In August 1998, one-time Imperial Wizard Sam Bowers is convicted and sentenced to life in Dah-mer's death.) Jan. 9, 1998: Moore is named "Lawyer of the Year" by the National Law Journal.

June 1999: Moore outlines his plan to raise $1 million by the end of the year as part of his plan to recruit 2,000 mentors for children. Jan. 6, 1999: Moore announces he will seek a fourth term. The announcement comes more than two months after he told his staff he'd run for governor. Feb, 7, 2000: The FBI turns over 40,000 pages of its files to Moore In the investigation of the 1964 killings of three civil rights workers In Neshoba County.

Jan. 18, 2002: Moore celebrates lawmakers' approval of the Ayers college desegregation November 1979: At age 27, Moore is elected as the state's youngest district attorney. November 1987: Moore is first elected attorney general. December 1993: Moore sees his two-year lobbying efforts for a statewide grand Jury to handle drug cases start paying off. A Judge orders counties to draw names from voter rolls to create a pool of potential panelists.

May 23, 1994: Moore sues the nation's major tobacco companies. The lawsuit is the first of its kind in the nation. Aug. 9, 1994: In Washington, Moore calls on Congress to pass an anti-crime bill, noting it contains up to $1 10 million for the state' law enforcement agencies. Aug.

29,1996: Moore asks the U.S. Supreme Court to reinstate Mississippi's 1994 school prayer law. July 3, 1997: Moore's lawsuit, which started a national attack on the tobacco industry, ends in a $3,366 billion settlement with most of the money expected to go to health care in Mississippi. July 16, 1997: American Medical Association officials announce that Moore Is one of the recipients of the 1997 Or. Nathan Davis Award named in honor of the AMA founder I or outstanding mi I 1 .1 I ,1 win enmity I .1 ft iA II settlement plan that he helped hammer out.

0 Ed contributions to promote 2003 Town Country LX YOUR CHOICE-Q UK 2003 Grand Cherokee r4k -ft. tfooro: GOP sees another chance to gain statewide seat Jeep RYSLER BSBJSJjBBBBBSlie 2003 Grand Cherokee 2003 Town Country it i 1 1 ii rT fir' y'f 21585 i-rsii' upto 2500 I IE MOST i AWAPT1 WTVNTVf: CASH ALLOWANCE OR BRAND OF EVER BUILT 0 APR crrnrvT, Financing LI ZD TZJTsVSY 13 temlA the one who ordered Dahmer't killing. "At one of the very lowest points in our lives as family, when we were striving to bring Sam Bowers to Justice," Vernon Dahmer Jr. aid, "Mike was there Moore met with the family in the earty 1990s and vowed to do every-thing in his power to bring closure to the case, Dahmer said. He met again with the family in 1998.

1 remember him saying. If it was my father. I would do the same thing you aO are Dahmer said. "From that moment on. until Sam Bowers was convicted on Aug.

21. 1998, Mike and his very dedicated and respectful staff worked hard and were there for us, regardless of the day or hour." Others were not so kind. "Glory. Glory. said Madison County Supervisor Bill Banks.

The AG'i office led an bvwtiga-tion into alleged corruption in Madison County, focusing on for-tnrr Chancery Clerk Steve Duncan. Duncan, who was indicted on state and federal embeulement charges in March 2002. was at the center of the corruption probe into county basinets. His death brought the investigation to a hah. "Anybody that can threaten the Board of Supervisor of Madison County, and make no apology whatsoever when be cant prove anything, doesn't deserve to be the attorney general of Mississippi." Banks said.

Some state lawmakers have sensed Moore of cwentrpping his brumduV. fax lading Sea. MJur $20 million of the money to fund the partnership's smoking-cessa-tion programs. Republican former Gov. Kirk Fordice has referred to the attorney general as "Flashbulb Moore" and called Moore a showboat and a professional politician, Gov.

Ronnie Musgrove, who praised Moore during his State of the State address for helping to end an impasse over the state Division of Medicaid, called Moore a dedicated public servant Tuesday. "1 appreciate the work be has done over the past 16 years and he will be missed." Musgrove said. House Speaker Tim Ford, who had encouraged Moore to run again, said Moore had elevated the profile of the office. "He's created some limelight; he enjoyed some limelight," be said. Moore said he expanded his stall from 45 to about 115 lawyers while in office.

LL Gov. Amy Turk also praised Moore a consensus building skills, and said his leadership will be "a great loss to the state." ICs move wul aLso aher the pohU cal trmin for the Rrpubiican Party, now angling for yet another statewide elected seat abandoned by a Democratic ioninthroL State Treasurer Marshall Bennett has said he would not run for re-election. Tirk. who pUns to run for rr-fsVc-bon. recently switched to the GOP.

Republicans are also rooting for former RrpubUran National Committee Chairman Haley Barbour, who is challenging Musgrove. "Now the tone for us to rise up and elect Republicans from county coroner to lieutenant guv' eraor." said Mississippi Repubfi-caa Party Chairman Jira Herring. Staff vjvtart Jvry Iffttftot tw4 P9CT Mttffwwt contributed to 2003 Voyager 2003 Sebring r- --5 (nrAiSi sfs $17,936 JL ill 2002 FT Cruiser 2003 Concord Chaney. RVkkbw who has said Moore uses tobacco settlement money to spread political good w3 instead of applying ft to struggSng state agencies. Moore, under a court order, uses Kt32 19,999 j0down J199tf? Run: Espy says he won't run FrwulA 43.

a krwyer who kanSes general Hood, attorney fcr Bea $3500 BEST VALUES cash AaovwcE IN AMERICA! or 0 APR Rrancrg 1 rht, a-g oa Willing hss krw prartire. 1 res2y hate to interrupt that by nsKKg aflamey general or any other oS." he said. Lcr. who served as a special assistaat attorney geweral years ago before wtos a US. Hovse seat, said he cmM off fxard fcy Moored annowncesiewi.

"I tiarl VJx Mocre a great d6x Tm surprwed to hear be ewt agai or for aay ether cCk, fee said. Mark Garrigi. a ran Vlxre k1 fo4 ia 1399. saJ TeiT he not rXrrred 'n nrr" hpax. Staff wrftee Patrice Sawywr copfced to repeat.

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Marshall. wo aad Tippah cosaOs. ai said he is cmndrmg a rsa br fee pn. He said he recestiy spcte srfca Moore. 1 I had iaSed feto another tern." sail Hood, who had worked foe the aCoraey aTi See for fiw yearv He said he w-3 U3t to ha faca alprTTbrixeSrcilr- Aactker rsaored casJwJite.

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