The Times from Shreveport, Louisiana • Page 44

6C SUNDAY, OCTOBER 13. 1991 ATTORNEY GENERAL Voters to determine verdic Attorney General candidates Texaco litigation tops state docket for next top lawyer John N. Kennedy Party: Democrat-Baton Rouge. Political Experience: Special counsel to Gov. Buddy Roemer and secretary to the governor's cabinet, 1 988 to present.

Career Experience: Lawyer, New Orleans law firm, 1985-1987 Private legal practice, Baton Rouge, 1979-1985 Law clerk, U. S. Court of Appeals, New Orleans, for Judge Robert Ainsworth. 1977-1978. Education: Oxford University, England, bachelor of civil law 1979 University of Virginia, law degree, 1977 Vanderbilt University.

Bacherlorof Arts, 1973 Graduated from Zachary High School, 1969, co-valedictorian. Personal: 39, Born in Zachary, married, no children. James A. McPherson Party: Republican-New Orleans. Political Experience: Lawyer and adviser to David Duke's 1990 U.

S. Senate Career Experience: Lawyer, private practice, 1963 to date, Law clerk, U. S. District Court, New Orleans, U.S. Judge Robert Ainsworth.

1 962-63 U. S. Marine Corps. 1 950. Education: Loyola University, New Orleans, law degree.

1962 Attended Louisiana Tech University, 1951-53. Attended Louisiana State Unlvensty, 1950 Graduated Byrd High School. Shreveport, 1949 Personaf: 59. born in El Dorado, widowed and divorced, five children. Issues: Despite campaign talk, lawsuits are bulk of top state prosecutor's work.

Richard P. Ieyoub Party: Democrat-Lake Charles. Political Experience: District Attorney, Lake Charles (Calcasieu Parish), 1985 to date. Career Experience law practice, Lake Charles, 1975-1984 Special prosecutor 1 for Attorney General William Guste's criminal division, 1972-1975. Education: LSU.

juris doctorate. 1 972 McNeese Slate University. B.A. in history. .1968 Graduated Lake Charles High School, 1 962.

Personal: 47, born in Lake Charles, married, three children. I Party Republican-New Orleans. Political Experience: State Senator, 1984 to date State Representative, 1969-1984. Career law practice, New Orleans. 1967 to date Publisher, legal textbooks, 1966-67 Longshoreman, 1963-66.

Education: Loyola University, law degree, 1 967 Loyola University, B.A. in English and history, 1964 Graduate, Jesuit High School, New Orleans, 1961. Personal: 47, born in New Orleans, separated, three children. The constitutional restriction "does not prevent the attorney general from taking a leadership role in cooperating with sheriffs, chiefs of police, other local officials, to do something about the problem of crime and drugs," said Lake Charles District Attorney Richard Ievoub. "He can be active in the Legislature to pass laws which will help the law enforcement community," Ieyoub said.

John Kennedy of Baton Rouge, former assistant executive counsel to Gov. Buddy Roemer, would make prisoners work to pay their own way and learn to read and write. "We're going to talk about requiring prosecutors to consult with victims before making plea agreements." James McPherson of New Orleans, an associate of David Duke's, said he would "form a task force, including such groups as hotel-motel associations which have an interest in solving the street crime problem." Concerning the Texaco suit, Bagert said his independence from the governor and Legislature would help him resist pressure to settle the case to balance next year's budget. "It will be settled for full value or I will see them in court," Bagert said. Midboe, as an aide to former Gov.

David Treen, said he helped initiate the audit of Texaco royalty payments. "We're going to pursue the case vigorously," Midboe said. Riddick would also press the case. "That's the best way at this stage for the state to get the most money," he said. Ieyoub would "do whatever is required to make sure that the people of this state get what they are due Certainly there will be no compromise of that litigation unless I was totally convinced that it was in the interests of the people." Ieyoub's campaign has been plagued by rumors that he is Tex-aco's candidate in the race.

"That is absolutely untrue and totally unfounded," he said. Kennedy said the Louisiana voter "has been wronged I'd prosecute to the fullest extent possible." McPherson said he did not have sufficent information to make a decision on the Texaco case. "I feel there should be a complete independent review of what has transpired up to now." By JOHN HILL Times Baton Rouge Bureau BATON ROUGE The state's next attorney general will likely spend more time fighting Texaco than street crime. But watching the campaigns of the six candidates seeking the office held by retiring Attorney General William Guste, one would think fighting crime was the office's mainstay. In reality, only 2.5 percent of the cases handled by the office are criminal.

The state's constitution allows the attorney general's office to enter a criminal prosecution only when asked by local district attorneys or ordered in by a judge. The Texaco case will more than likely be a major concern for the next attorney general. One possible outcome is the cancellation of Tex-aco's vast leases on state-owned land. Not surprisingly, all candidates say they would vigorously prosecute. On the crime-fighting issue, the candidates say the attorney general can work with local prosecutors and law enforcement officials.

"The most important thing the attorney general can do is make more prison space available by appealing the prison overcrowding rulings made by U.S. Judge Frank Polozola," said Ben Bagert, R-New Orleans. Kai Midboe, R-Baton Rouge, accuses the other candidates of preying on voters fear of crime "because their pollsters are telling them the public is concerned about crime." Executive Assistant Attorney General Winston Riddick, who is running with Guste's backing, said the office can fight public corruption. He cites his efforts in putting former state Insurance Commissioner Doug Green in prison for 25 years. "The office also investigates white-collar crime because local district attorneys aren't staffed to do white-collar crime," Riddick said.

Winston Riddick Party; Democrat-Baton Rouge. Political Experience: Executive Assistant Attorney General, 1987 to date. Former associate state superintendent of education 1 972-1973. Gitlis Long for Governor, campaign manager, 1971 Ran for Insurance Commssioner in 1975. Higher Education Facilities Commission, director, 1967-1972.

Career law practice, Baton Rouge, 1974-1987. Southern University Law School adjunct professor, 1 974 to date. Legal counsel to state Agriculture Department, 1 982-1 987 Assslstant state agriculture commissioner for marketing, 1980-81. LSU, director of institute of government research, 1966-1967. Education: Columbia University, Ph.D.

in public administration. June 1973. LSU Law School, juris doctorate. December 1973 University of North Carolina, master's in Latin American affairspolitical science, 1964 University of Southwestern Louisiana. B.A.

in political science, 1962. Graduated Crowley High School, 1959. Personal: 50, born in Crowley, married, one child. Kai Midboe Party: Republican-New Orleans. Political Experience: Deputy secretary, Louisiana Department of Natural Resources under Gov.

Buddy Roemer, 1988-1990. Assistant state attorney general under Attorney i General William Guste. 1984-1988. Executive assistant to Gov. David Treen for federal and environmental affairs, 1980-1984.

Republican counsel to U. S. House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee, 1 977-1 980. Career law practice, specializing in environmental law, 1970 to date. Education: University of Miami, master's in law, 1973 St.

John University Law School, New York 1969 Bradley University, Peoria, B.A. In International relations, 1966 Graduated from Schreiber High School, Long Island, N. 1962. Personal: 47, born in New Orleans, married, two children. i iwnwiiiiMjp i 5 Tim graphic.