Attorneys General

There is an old saying to the effect that if a cat jumps on a hot stove it will never do that again -- or jump on a cold one, either. President Clinton behaved like that last week when he refused to nominate his choice for attorney general, Judge Kimba Wood, because he found out she had once hired a domestic worker who was in the country illegally. Having been burned on the illegal alien issue before in the case of Zoe Baird, the president shied away -- even though the metaphorical stove in the Wood case was cold.

Edward L. Blanton, the Republican candidate running for attorney general against the Democratic incumbent, J. Joseph Curran Jr., is a competent, respected lawyer and public-spirited citizen who has raised several legitimate questions about Mr. Curran's record in four years in office.Mr. Blanton says the attorney general has not mobilized his office to deal with violent crime. He says Mr. Curran has not pursued environmental lawbreakers. He says Mr. Curran has deferred to his assistants instead of being a leader.

The consumer protection division of the Maryland attorney general's office is trying to mediate a dispute between the developer of an Anne Arundel County retirement community and a group of its residents.About 300 of the 1,100 residents of Heritage Harbour, near South River, have asked the attorney general's office to look intoalleged wrongdoing by the community's developer, U.S. Home Corp.Among other things, residents claim U.S. Home Corp. sold to other developers land that had been set aside as community common space.

The Consumer Protection division of the Maryland attorney general's office issued a cease-and-desist order Wednesday to an Anne Arundel County locksmith after consumers complained of exorbitant fees, refusing to give estimates and charging credit cards without prior authorization. The business, ATCL-MD, Inc., Around the Clock Locksmith and its owner Joseph M. Horton are accused of charging as much as $1,400 just to respond to a request for services, and more than $4,300 to replace locks.

In regards to Scott Calvert 's article about Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler ("Internal email suggests Gansler 'embarrassment,'" June 9), Maryland's own email-gate episode is shocking on most every level. First, it has come to light that a state lab was systematically shredding the records of lead poisoned children of the poor in Baltimore because the lab didn't have enough personnel to meet record requests from plaintiff's' attorneys who were suing on behalf of these children.

A federal judge has declared unconstitutional a provision in Maryland law regulating who can carry a handgun, effectively loosening the restrictions governing firearm possession on the state's streets. In a 23-page memorandum opinion, made public Monday, U.S. District Court Judge Benson E. Legg said a state requirement forcing those applying for a gun-carry permit to show that they have a "good and substantial reason" to do so "impermissibly infringes the right to keep and bear arms," as guaranteed by the Second Amendment.

In the wake of Hurricane Irene, the Office of Maryland Attorney General Doug Gansler is telling residents to be wary of home repair scams and other consumer fraud. On Aug. 29, Gansler's office said damaging storms are often followed by scam artists who promise to perform home improvement work and then don't. The office warned against people who use high-pressure sales tactics, demand up-front payment and demand an immediate decision on work. The attorney general advised homeowners and businesses that before signing on for work: • Check to see if a contractor is licensed by the Maryland Home Improvement Commission by calling 410-230-6309 or going to http://www.dllr.state.md.us/license/mhic.