California Secretary of State Debra Bowen rejected the ballot designation for two statewide candidates. In three words the candidates are supposed to describe their profession, but candidates often try to enhance their images instead of presenting their actual experience.

John Eastman, a university law school dean running for attorney general, sought to list his occupation as “assistant attorney general.”

Eastman claimed that he wrote legal briefs for the state of South Dakota as a “special assistant attorney general.”

Bowen rejected the designation because she thought it mislead voters into thinking that he worked for the state attorney general’s office. Most likely, that is exactly what Eastman wanted voters to think.

One of Eastman’s opponents, State Senator Tom Harman, sought a ballot listing as a “prosecutor” because he had enrolled in a volunteer program that let private attorneys gain experience prosecuting minor cases.

When Bowen discovered that Harman had never prosecuted a case in the program, she nixed his ballot designation as well.

The position of attorney general in California is supposed to be the highest law enforcement position in the state. It is a little disturbing that two candidates for that position, while not breaking the law, were trying to fudge state election law to their personal benefit. It is an indication that they may not be the wisest and fairest administrators of justice seeking that office.