Sen. Harman makes moves

Sen. Tom Harman has not officially announced whether he will run for state attorney general next year, but he’s making moves that indicate that he will, including new criticism of incumbent Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown on his effort to overturn Proposition 8 in the courts.

Harman has pulled papers to run for attorney general, has established an exploratory committee and has a fundraiser scheduled for April 8. But he has not determined whether he will run.

Harman, in an editorial board meeting with the Daily Pilot on Thursday, said his initial focus would be on fundraising. He believes it would take $4 million to $6 million, with most of it spent on television advertising. While well-known in Orange County for his six years as a Huntington Beach councilman, nearly six years in the Assembly and just now starting his second term in the Senate after winning his first term in a special election in 2006, Harman would need to spend much on raising his name recognition statewide, especially if Brown, a former governor, runs for another term. If Brown takes another shot at governor, then it’s a much more wide-open race for attorney general. Harman, though, has taken note of what Assemblyman Chuck DeVore has done with new media and his efforts to use tools such as blogging, Twitter and Facebook to run a net-roots campaign for U.S. Senate against Sen. Barbara Boxer. He admits, however, with a chuckle that there’s a “learning curve” involved as he referred to Twitter as “whatever that is.”

Harman criticized Brown for his legal efforts to knock down Proposition 8, which prohibits gay marriage.

“The attorney general is supposed to defend and support the constitution instead of opposing it,” Harman said, adding he suspects Brown has sought relief in court because he personally opposes the proposition.

Harman would not say how he voted on Proposition 8, but said if he were attorney general, “I would support what the people have done.”

Harman is preparing legislation that would give standing in court to those who have put a proposition on the ballot such as this. The Proposition 8 supporters cannot defend against Brown’s suit unless they file a friend-of-the-court-type brief, but Harman’s bill would remedy that.

Efforts to reach Brown were unsuccessful Thursday as he was traveling, according to a spokeswoman, but he has released statements recently arguing that he filed the lawsuit because he believes Proposition 8 is unconstitutional.

Voters do not have an unrestricted right to amend the Constitution and the courts have struck down amendments that were considered unconstitutional, Brown argued. He considers marriage a constitutional right and voters cannot take that away without “compelling justification.”

PAUL ANDERSON is the Daily Pilot’s city editor. He may be reached at paul.anderson@latimes.com or at (714) 966-4633.