Reply #7: More on Ross from this morning's Anchorage Daily News...

[Blue_In_AK]

http://www.adn.com/news/government/legislature/story/75...

JUNEAU - Members of a Senate committee on Monday repeatedly pressed Wayne Anthony Ross, Gov. Sarah Palin's attorney general appointee, on whether he still believes gays are "degenerates," a term he used 16 years ago in a letter to the state bar association.

But Ross refused to provide a direct answer, saying his personal opinions do not have a place in his role as attorney general.

Members of the state Senate Judiciary Committee also questioned Ross about his criticism of the Legislature's "Troopergate" investigation and his support of a Soldotna man who dumped buckets of cold water on war protesters and produced a video of it set to patriotic music.

The questioning came during the final confirmation hearing for Ross before the Legislature votes on his appointment Thursday.

Two Democratic senators on the committee repeatedly asked Ross if he still believes gays are degenerates.

Ross replied that his job as attorney general is to represent all Alaskans, and "my personal opinions in that regard have no place and I decline to state my opinion."

Sen. Bill Wielechowski pressed for an answer. "Do you still adhere to your statement from years ago where you said they were degenerates and immoral?" he asked. Ross: "I was not attorney general at that time."

Wielechowski asked twice more and did not get a yes or no answer from Ross.

"So you're refusing to answer my question?" said Wielechowski, an Anchorage Democrat.

Ross replied: "That's correct, yes, senator, you betcha."

<snip>

As a commenter noted, he's even talking like Palin. I'm not a religious person, but I'm praying the legislature finds its spine and does the right thing here. This guy would be a disaster. Note that he sees nothing wrong with the "subpoena ignoring" that went on during the Troopergate fiasco.