17th Judicial District DA asks Adams County and Broomfield voters for a third term

By Cory Gaines | Commentary, Colorado Accountability Project

The 17th Judicial District DA gets a little help from his friends in Adams County and Broomfield

The 17th Judicial District DA (serving Adams and Broomfield both–see the office’s webpage below), confident that he is the best man to “explore alternatives to incarceration” while “acknowledging issues of racism, both implicit and explicit, within our system”, recently asked both Broomfield and Adams County Commissioners to refer a question to voters in those counties to give him a third term. 

If you’d like to see more of his message to his constituents, give screenshot 1 a read.

Currently, in Colorado, an elected DA is limited to two four-year terms and DA Mason is at the end of his allotment. 

His friends in both Broomfield and Adams County were obliging enough to refer the extension to their constituents on his behalf, though apparently some of the Broomfield councilmembers had a touch of heartburn about it. 

Per the second link below, while Broomfield eventually forwarded the measure to the ballot, some of the council members had issues about the wording. Reading the ballot question, I have to say I do too.

The ballot question (per the third link) reads:

“Shall the term limits for District Attorney of the 17th Judicial District be limited to no more than three consecutive terms of office, consistent with other county offices in Adams County and the City and County of Broomfield?”

Imagine, if you need to (it depends on how much you follow politics), how that would read to someone unfamiliar with term limits. 

That ballot question, specifically the “limited” part strongly implies that the 17th’s DA could have MORE than three, that the office needs to be reined in. That rascal needs to be brought in line with the other offices dammit!

The reality is more that the DA is already limited to two. Going to 3, consistent or not, is an extension. 

I guess if you’re the 17th’s DA it’s good to have friends in high places. People to help give the well-connected a nudge.

https://da17colorado.gov

https://citizenportal.ai/articles/9199058/colorado/broomfield-county/broomfield-city/district-attorney-asks-broomfield-to-put-threeterm-da-limit-on-november-ballot-council-agrees

https://apps.adcogov.org/BOCCResolutionDocs/api/document?id=6920557

READ THE FULL COMMENTARY AT COLORADO ACCOUNTABILITY PROJECT

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