Attorney general candidates debate
Lawsuit challenging federal health-care reform focus of friction
Durango Herald News
by Joe Hanel
Herald Denver Bureau
DENVER - Colorado's two attorney general candidates sparred Wednesday night about the federal health-care law and efforts to protect consumers.
The debate featured incumbent Attorney General John Suthers, a Republican, and his Democratic challenger, Boulder County District Attorney Stan Garnett.
Garnett got into the race shortly after Suthers joined a lawsuit by Republican attorneys general against the health-care reform law that Congress passed this year.
"It's a waste of the prestige of the office," Garnett said. "One of the first things I will do when I'm elected Colorado Attorney General is to dismiss Colorado from this case if it hasn't already been thrown out of court."
Suthers, though, said the lawsuit is a necessary defense against federal intrusion into people's lives. If the government can tax people for not buying health insurance, it could tax them for not buying a hybrid car or a health-club membership, he said.
"This is a tax on your citizenship - sitting at home and not doing what the federal government wants you to do," Suthers said.
Garnett said that Suthers too often intervenes in out-of-state, partisan lawsuits, and he isn't active enough in consumer protection. Suthers is engaged at the Legislature on matters such as criminal law and medical marijuana, but not enough on identity theft or schemes to defraud the elderly, Garnett said.
Garnett said he would send his deputies to community events to educate people about fraud.
"There's great potential to help people lead better lives without the government spending more money to do so," Garnett said.
Suthers said Garnett suffers from "naivete" about the attorney general's role.
"Stan's been managing a public office for 18 months. I've been managing very large public offices for 18 years," Suthers said.
Suthers pointed to his record as the state's top prosecutor for the last 5½ years. He pushed for new laws that have helped lock up Internet predators and settled three major environmental lawsuits that had dragged on for as long as 25 years.
The two candidates agreed on a lot.
Both said Arizona's new illegal-immigration law is unconstitutional, because it steps on the federal government's responsibility to say who can enter the country.
Both said a main function of the attorney general's office is the protection of Colorado's water rights.
And both had praise for the quality of judges in Colorado. Unlike states that elect judges, Colorado has a merit system, where a review board picks out three names to send to the governor, who makes the final decision on appointments.
Colorado judges get lifetime appointments, although every 10 years they have to be reapproved by popular vote.
"I'm opposed to term limits for judges. The hallmark of the American justice system is judicial independence," Suthers said.
Suthers said he made a mistake earlier this year at a Republican event by answering a question about whether four state Supreme Court judges should be retained. Conservatives are running a campaign to kick them out of office.
Bloggers made Suthers' response seem like he supported the conservative campaign, Suthers said. He distanced himself from the effort Wednesday night.
Public television host Aaron Harber served as moderator of the debate at the University of Denver law school. The debate will be broadcast in three parts on Harber's public television show and will be online later at www.Colorado2010.com.
Thursday, June 3, 2010