Maricopa County Attorney It' s Rachel Mitchell vs Julie Gunnigle - Axios PhoenixLog InLog InAxios Phoenix is an Axios company.

Maricopa County Attorney It' s Rachel Mitchell vs Julie Gunnigle

Julie Gunnigle (left) and Rachel Mitchell. Photo illustration: Axios Visuals. Photos: Julie Gunnigle for Maricopa County Attorney, Rachel Mitchell for Maricopa County Attorney This year's Maricopa County Attorney's race has turned into a proxy vote on the future of criminal justice, law enforcement and abortion rights in our region. Why it matters: County attorneys prosecute almost all criminal cases and decide whether police officers face charges in use-of-force cases. State of play: The late Maricopa County Attorney Allister Adel . The Board of Supervisors appointed Republican Rachel Mitchell to take over. She is running to keep the position.Mitchell, a veteran of the office, gained national attention as the GOP investigative counsel during Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh's .Her Democratic challenger, Julie Gunnigle, is a former Illinois prosecutor who has practiced and taught law in Arizona. She most recently worked as the political director of AZ NORML, a marijuana reform advocacy group. She lost to Adel in 2020. Abortion: Mitchell: She's been about prosecuting doctors and others who facilitate abortions. She's said she won't prosecute women who seek abortions, though already doesn't criminalize women. She said in a that it's not "responsible to say" whether or not she'd charge doctors or others before reviewing specific cases. Gunnigle: She's made her commitment to not prosecute under the state's abortion laws the centerpiece of her campaign.She's said without condition she will not bring charges against women, doctors or their support networks for making "private and personal healthcare decisions." Crime and law enforcement: Mitchell: She's by the Arizona Fraternal Order of Police and has said she will work with local law enforcement agencies to "ensure dangerous criminals are held accountable."She's characterized Gunnigle as soft on crime because of her who want to defund and reform police departments. Gunnigle: In July, Gunnigle whether she supports defunding the police, calling it a "distraction" and saying the county attorney doesn't make decisions about police funding. She's attacked Mitchell for her ties to police unions, saying they create a conflict of interest because the county attorney is responsible for deciding whether to prosecute officers in use-of-force cases. Criminal justice: Mitchell: She says she will with crime victims by employing "highly qualified individuals fighting for justice on their behalf."Mitchell says she has "prosecuted hundreds of cases and fought to strengthen laws for crimes against children and sex assault." Gunnigle: Criminal justice reform and police accountability is a major element of Gunnigle's . She says she will ensure officers "only use force appropriately," enact sentencing reform, expedite marijuana expungement, reform drug prosecution policies and more. Get more local stories in your inbox with .Subscribe Support local journalism by becoming a member.

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