The “Vote NO on 2!” committee has called on the Chief Justice of the Tennessee Supreme Court to conduct an open public hearing for the selection of the Attorney General and Reporter.

“The election of the Attorney General and Reporter is part of the political process and the members of the Court have a duty to conduct a public hearing and vote in public on the record,” said committee state coordinator John Avery Emison. “Members of the Supreme Court have long supported a public, so-called “merit selection” process for themselves and it’s time for them to do the same when it comes to selecting the Attorney General.”

Emison pointed out that there was widespread speculation about Gov. Phil Bredesen’s political maneuvering behind the scenes eight years ago when the incumbent Attorney General, Robert E. Cooper, Jr. was elected. “If those days are not yet over, they need to be. If the Court again is going to participate in a political arm-wrestling match this time with Gov. Haslam, we should at least be told it’s going on.”