BLT:
Following the unexpected resignation yesterday of D.C. Attorney General Linda Singer, three D.C. Council members sponsored a bill today that would establish minimum requirements and qualifications for the position.
Council member Phil Mendelson introduced the legislation, which was co-sponsored by Council members David Catania and Kwame Brown, because Singer's resignation "has highlighted concerns over the independence and integrity of the position," Mendelson said. Singer reportedly resigned after less than a year in office because she frequently butted heads with Peter Nickles,
Mayor Adrian Fenty's general counsel, who had taken over some roles in court and behind the scenes that traditionally had been handled by the Attorney General's office.
The legislation would create minimum qualifications for the attorney general position, including seven years of experience in the District; establish a vetting process for the position; provide a set term of six years to promote longevity; and establish protections against removal.
Singer was appointed by the mayor in January and was later confirmed by the Council. Fenty has tapped Nickles to serve as interim attorney general when Singer's resignation becomes effective next month. Mendelson, who chairs the Council's Committee on Public Safety and the Judiciary, says that is a mistake that will further undermine the independence of the Attorney General's office.
"Among states, the District is in the minority when it comes to structural protections for the position of attorney general," Mendelson said in a statement today. "In fact, we are alone among the states by having an appointed attorney general who serves at the pleasure of the chief executive. It’s about time that this position is elevated.”
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