To the editor: Attorney generals don’t try cases

To the editor:

So what does an attorney general do, anyway?

He or she stands up for the people of the state by interpreting the law — both state and federal. That means he or she needs to know how these two sets of law intersect in order to protect citizens of the state of Colorado — even when there is a conflict between what we want locally and what the federal government wants.

Not only does the attorney general need to know the law, he or she needs to be able to direct a large staff of experienced lawyers. This team addresses areas from antitrust to consumer protection to water law — and advises state agencies responsible for carrying out the law.

Phil Weiser is far and away the best candidate running for this position. Phil’s record of leading complex litigation to protect consumers at the U.S. Department of Justice, managing teams of dozens of lawyers to get rural broadband to first-responders, and serving as dean and chief executive of the University of Colorado law school shows he’s got just the right kind of leadership experience. His background as a clerk for Ruth Bader Ginsburg and as a chief legal mind on technology in the Obama administration add to his qualifications.

The GOP candidate’s claim that Democratic candidate Phil Weiser lacks “courtroom experience” badly misses the boat. No sitting AG has tried a case since the late 1800s, and criminal justice is only a small part of the AG’s job. Claiming otherwise is misleading and disingenuous, and the GOP candidate knows better.

Check out all Weiser’s qualifications at www.philforcolorado.com

Mell McDonnell

Denver

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