Attorney general candidates visit Colorado Springs, discuss different approaches

The race for attorney general in the Centennial State is heating up as two candidates visited Colorado Springs Friday to discuss their plans for the state.

The next attorney general will succeed outgoing Republican Attorney General Cynthia Coffman. The choices are between Republican George Brauchler and Democrat Phil Weiser.

When it comes to these candidates there is one thing they can agree on. The criminal justice system in Colorado needs some improvement.

“Without question, we have seen a surge in crime in Southern Colorado. We have seen felonies go up all across the state,” said Brauchler.

“We’re putting too many people in jail and prison. Many of whom are drug users. We don’t have drug treatment,” said Weiser.

The next attorney general will also acquire the lawsuit against an opioid manufacturer seeking damages for the opioid epidemic. But both are looking to handle the settlement in different ways.

“We don’t hire an attorney general to figure out how to dispense a billion dollars. We hire a legislature to do that, so my anticipation is the bulk of any settlement dollars we get when I’m attorney general be turned over to the legislature to decide how best to spend it,” said Brauchler.

“People who are hurt need to be remedied by the money we get from litigation so when I win this lawsuit against pharmaceutical companies, that money is going to go into drug treatment. Helping people rebuild their lives,” Weiser said.

And their approaches could come from their different backgrounds. Brauchler was in the Colorado Army National Guard and has been the district attorney in Arapahoe County where he prosecuted the Aurora theater shooter. Weiser, on the other hand, worked as an adviser for the Obama administration and has served as dean of the University of Colorado Law School.

Despite who you support, both candidates will be ready come election night.