Think Tank talks with Maricopa County Attorney candidates Mitchell, Gunnigle

Maricopa County Attorney is one of the most important offices in Arizona.

The vast majority of crimes are prosecuted by County Attorneys, not the state attorney general. Police actions are scrutinized by courts. Judges have to act under strict guidelines which are also subject to review by higher courts

But the County Attorney has prosecutorial discretion. This means that often they can charge a more serious or less serious crime or decline to prosecute a given case all together. While they do have to prove any charges in court, most cases are resolved through negotiation, rather than trial. So who is in this office matters a lot to the way justice is actually administered in the county.

Rachel Mitchell is the Interim Maricopa County Attorney. She was appointed several months ago when her predecessor resigned. She is the Republican candidate.

The Democrat is Julie Gunnigle, who lost a very close election for this office in 2020.

We discuss a wide range of issues with these candidates including the red-hot issue of abortion, relations with the police, and incarceration rates (do we imprison too many people?) and other relevant topics.

Hear the candidates for this critical office in this week’s Think Tank.

The Think Tank airs on KTAR 92.3 FM on Saturday 6-7 p.m. and Sunday 9-10 p.m.

Podcasts are available after broadcast. Older shows are archived at www.mikeoneil.org.