Greenwood Village, CO. – Colorado GOP Chairwoman Kristi Burton Brown released the following statement today regarding the news that Governor Polis has appointed AG Phil Weiser, who is ineligible, as interim district attorney for the 12th Judicial District. Current failed, progressive Democrat District Attorney Alonzo Payne was facing an almost certain recall and chose to resign rather than leave his fate to San Luis Valley voters:
“The qualifications are clear for those who want to be a District Attorney in Colorado, sadly Polis has failed to follow the law and instead chose Phil Weiser, who is ineligible to serve as the appointed DA for the 12th Judicial District. The DA of a judicial district must be a ‘qualified elector of the judicial district at the time of their election or appointment and reside in the district throughout their term in office.’ Weiser does not live in the San Luis Valley, is not a qualified elector of the 12th Judicial District, and presumably will not be able to reside in the district throughout his time in that position.
“While we know that Weiser is a professor who has never actually tried a case, we would expect that either he or the governor’s lawyers would have read the law prior to announcing this ineligible appointment. Citizens in the San Luis Valley have for too long had a DA who is corrupt and incompetent. I believe they deserve a competent DA from the Valley who will fight the Polis-Weiser crime wave, not an ineligible professor from Denver.”
Background:
– Colorado District Attorney’s Council outlines that in order for a District Attorney to be eligible to serve they must “be licensed to practice law in Colorado for five years, a qualified elector of the judicial district at the time of their election or appointment and reside in the district throughout their term in office.”
– According to his website, AG Phil Weiser lives in Denver which is in the 2nd Judicial District.