BY FREDA MIKLIN
GOVERNMENTAL REPORTER
On January 27, John Kellner, Republican elected 18th Judicial DA, who was elected to his current position in November 2020, announced that he will challenge incumbent Colorado Attorney General Philip Weiser in the November 8, 2022 election.
John Kellner has been the 18th Judicial District Attorney since January 2021. He is running for Colorado Attorney General in 2022.
In his announcement, Kellner said, “To turn the tide on Colorado’s crime wave, we need an attorney general who is willing to lead from the front — and that is why today I am announcing my campaign for Colorado attorney general.” He added, “I will not let politics get in the way of the strong leadership necessary to turn the tide on Colorado’s crime wave.”
While a great many Coloradans feel that crime has gone up precipitously since the beginning of the pandemic, an analysis of FBI-reported data by the Denver Post determined that many recent increases in crime were part of a multi-year pattern and that rates of some crimes went up while others went down.
While vehicle theft is one of the most pervasive crimes of the past few years, Mike Greenwell, head of the auto theft task force, reported last year that 90% of the cars that are stolen in this state are recovered by law enforcement. In addition, while many have pointed at reviewing how decisions on incarceration are made as the cause of increased crime, a recent article by Lisa Pasko, Ph.D., associate professor and chair of the Department of Sociology and Criminology of the University of Denver, stated that increased crime rates nationally are not correlated to criminal justice reform.
So, it’s complicated.
According to the state website, the Attorney General “has primary authority for enforcement of consumer protection and antitrust laws, prosecution of criminal appeals and some complex white-collar crimes, the Statewide Grand Jury, training and certification of peace officers, and most natural resource and environmental matters. Additionally, the Attorney General’s Office works concurrently with Colorado’s 22 district attorneys and other local, state and federal law enforcement authorities to carry out the criminal justice responsibilities and activities of the office. The Attorney General is also the chief legal counsel and advisor to the executive branch of state government including the governor, all of the departments of state government, and to the many state agencies, boards, and commissions.
Kellner began his four-year term as 18th Judicial District Attorney in January 2021 after defeating Democrat Amy Padden by a margin of 50.1% to 49.9% out of 573,359 votes cast.
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