Competition Hails The Work Of Tennessee’s Attorney General, But Still Wants His Job

Tennessee Attorney General Bob Cooper interviews to keep his job for another eight year term. Behind him, seven other men who want his job, interviewing before the Tennessee Supreme Court. Credit: Blake Farmer / WPLN

Updated 6:00 am 9/9/14:

The Tennessee Supreme Court announces personal interviews on Tuesday with six candidates, excluding Will Helou and Andrew Tillman.

Previously reported:

Tennessee’s Attorney General defended himself before the state Supreme Court Monday as he vies for a second term. In recent years, conservatives have criticized Bob Cooper’s reluctance to join multi-state lawsuits against the Obama Administration, like one meant to take down the Affordable Care Act.

“It’s only purpose would have been to make a partisan political statement on a divisive national issue, and that would have weakened – not strengthened – this office,” Cooper said in prepared remarks.

In total, eight men have applied to be Tennessee’s top lawyer.

Herbert Slatery has a resume that makes sense for an aspiring attorney general. He is Republican Governor Bill Haslam’s general counsel – the same position Cooper held in the Democratic administration of Governor Phil Bredesen.

Slatery says he respects Cooper but adds that there’s a reason why the term runs eight-years.

“Every eight years, the office should get another assessment, a fresh look,” he said, when questioned by the court.

Candidates were also asked about partisanship, and to a person, they said party should not play a role in opinions issued by the office, which carry the weight of law until otherwise ruled by a court.

State Sen. Doug Overbey of Maryville pointed to his experience in the General Assembly.

“I have never been one to wet my finger, hold it in the air, and check the political winds,” Overbey said. “And I won’t be as Attorney General.”

The public was given a chance to comment during the interview process, but only a handful in the audience did. One questioned the entire legitimacy of the state’s Supreme Court based on an interpretation of the Tennessee Constitution that says justices should be popularly elected.

The five-member panel remains majority Democrat. If they choose a Republican attorney general, it would be the first since Reconstruction.

A selection is expected sometime this month. A court spokesperson says the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has not completed in-depth background checks for each applicant.

The candidates:

• Gino Bulso – a Nashville business lawyer with Leader, Bulso & Nolan
• Bob Cooper – current Attorney General, appointed by Democrat Phil Bredesen
• Mark Fulks – a business lawyer for Baker Donelson based in Johnson City
• Will Helou – a trial attorney with WSM Legal, stated Republican and former lawyer under Attorney General Paul Summers
• Doug Overbey – Republican state senator from Maryville and practicing attorney
• Herbert Slatery – general counsel for Republican Governor Bill Haslam
• Andrew Tillman – a chancellor (judge) appointed by Governor Haslam for 8^th District, defeated in August primary
• Bill Young – director of the Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts and former Solicitor General under Bob Cooper