While his former job as governor will be useful in helping Brown navigate Sacramento, his more recent gig as mayor of Oakland may be more useful. Brown will no doubt use the AG’s office to defend California citizens and the environment from powerful lawbreakers—and he can be expected to act both aggressively and judiciously. But he says he plans to also focus on fighting urban crime. He says he’ll do this by beefing up training for police officers, and by asking the state crime labs to help local labs. Small stuff—but it has earned him endorsements from many in law enforcement.
Brown will likely never live down his reputation as a (ahem) visionary, but many who have worked with him over the decades since he earned his “Moonbeam” moniker attest to his clear-headed approach. His opponent, Chuck Poochigian, is more ideologically driven (and in the opposite direction).
