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taxley: an activist contenderwith old political sawy* • •By Frank Whatley Plainsman Staff Writer‘Tm going to run again for attorney general. I hope I get scted. Beyond that I don’t have any definite plans,” said -year-old Bill Baxley, subject of statewide political eculation from the Governor’s office on down.Only 29 when he was elected attorney general three years :o, Baxley has impressed the public with his activism. me see him as a Ralph Nader type who has introduced the rious concepts of consumer and environmental protection the state. Others consider him a zealous reformer, response for a potential horde of new student votes in Alabama, deed, little over a year ago, he ruled that students could te in their University communities instead of their home wns.Baxley would contend, however, that his ruling on the stunt vote was simply an interpretation of the law. His own union, whatever it is, had nothing to do with it.Baxley’s latest success was the impeachment of Talladega eriff Luke Brewer, guilty of bribery. That was the first suc-ssful impeachment of a public official in 30 years.Bo Bill Baxley, the activist, has caused a stir of specula-n centering around the upcoming governor’s race. But ixley is no fool—he knows that Governor George C. Wal-:e, if he seeks re-election, is unbeatable, rherefore he comments: “At one time I thought I might e to run for governor, but now I just don’t know. . .every y I’m in office I start deciding I’ll look forward to the day len I can get out and start being my own boss. If I thought at five years ago I had a pretty good chance of being »cted governor without compromising with what I be-ved, I’d probably make the race.”“I’m definitely not going to run next time if Govern or Wal-^e runs, and he gives every indication that he is,” said Bax-f-iVhat if Governor Wallace doesn’t seek re-election? “It uld put a different light on the race—I might very well run• governor.”Meanwhile, with the Brewer case closed, Baxley is think-l of other investigations of officials around the state. “We ve several other investigations going now that will pro-bly end up in the trials of public office holders,” he said. \nother one of the attorney-general’s present concerns is ? “need” of a statewide small claims court. The proposed -up would mean that a person could take a small claim to a ;s formal court where he could plead his own case.‘In a small claims court you would have a more lenient )cedure so a person wouldn’t get thrown out of court on a 'al technicality, Baxley explained. A small claims set-up, hink, ought to be available where they have a case that a vyer just could not afford to take the case.‘This wouldn’t prevent anyone from having a lawyer,” he ded. “It would mean that people, if they wanted, could go (to court) and wouldn’t have to have a lawyer to arguesmall claims. Of course anyone is entitled to represent themselves in any case. Very few people realize that.”Baxley qualified the endorsement: “It ought to be only those cases where it’s just impracticle for a lawyer to handle it.” Added the attorney general, “I think it ought to be in conjunction with a very broad legal services program to the poor. They had a little pilot project in Birmingham, but we also need them in some rural areas.”Baxley’s office in the Administrative Building behind the Capitol in Montgomery is crowded with papers and documents covering the sofa, a coffee table, and his desk.9Born in Dothan on June 27, 1941, Baxley graduated the University of Alabama law school and in 1966 became thedistrict attorney in his home town.Young and a bachelor, William J. Baxley is minus the toothy smile and pomp that sometimes appear to be a requisite for public office. Yet his office had all the trappings of a public official: state and national flags behind the desk, engraved stone nameplate and a line of official photographs in the hall outside his office.Sitting in his shirt sleeves, Baxley discussed student lobbies, out-of-state tuition, and Auburn Police Chief Edward R. Blodgett.“The purpose of out-of-state tuition is not to punish anyone,” he said. Commenting on the idea that if a student can vote in Auburn he is then a resident of Alabama Baxley said, “It’s not a legitimate factor in deciding whether someone has to pay it, to look'at where they’re residing at that point or where they’re voting at that time. It has to do with whether, in the past few years, if he’s paid the same amount of taxes the local residents in his economic position have.”The attorney general expressed the view that out-of-state tuition is “a legitimate and a necessary thing.” He said his office would work with colleges and universities to keep the policy if they wanted.A student lobby at the legislature was greeted favorably by Baxley. He said, “The reason we have legislation on the books now favoring special interest groups is because they keep lobbyists over here full time.”“The lobbyists don’t do anything illegal—what they do is perfectly legal—they want and they spend time presenting their side to legislators and legislators hear only one side ofmatters.”aHe indicated that lobbies would serve the purpose of informing the people as to what the issues are.Baxley stated, “I think every group of citizens that doesn’t have any special interest—students wouldn’t have any special selfish interests—I wish they would organize and have a lobby and educate the people as to what issues are before the legislature and stay over here and work for and against them as they come up.”page 7Thurs., May 17, 1973Vm definitely not going to run next time ifGovernor. Wallaceruns.99Plainsman photography-R.C DennisBILL BAXLEY. . .Ponders over state issuesBut he warned, “It would take a lot of organization and a lot of work. It couldn’t be done on a hit or miss basis.”As vigorous and involved as Baxley is, he is not personally aware of everything that comes into his office.When asked about the ruling from his office that AuburnPolice Chief Edward R. Blodgett was, by state law, too old to be hired, Baxley said he was personally unaware of the ruling. He later presented a letter from state representative Walker Hobbie asking for a clarification of the age limitations in the law but not mentioning Blodgett by name.According to the Alabama Police Minimum Standards Act Auburn’s Police Chief, was too old to be hired. The act states that applicants entering an Alabama police force must be at least 21 years old and not older than 45. Blodgett born May21, 1926, is 47.Commenting on Blodgett’s contention that he is not so much a policeman as an administrator, Baxley said, “We weren’t asked to rule on that. We were asked what it meant to be 45 years of age.”The case has not been resolved yet, but Baxley stated the law was not in violation of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act. He cited a law calling for the mandatory retirement of state supreme court judges that was upheld.Bill Baxley plans to remain attorney general and has, for the time being, put away all thoughts of being governor.But he has time. Because he is young Bill Baxley will be around and can still be a force in Alabama politics when the twentieth century comes to a close. .
Newspaper Details
Auburn Plainsman
Auburn, Alabama, US
Thu, May 17, 1973
Page 3
Full Page
Clipped by
Tom T.
USA 17 Nov 2022
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