MTB AG Debate

I attended the MTB AG Debate earlier today with lots of other bloggers. Both candidates were very good and didn't answer any questions as far as I recall with any ambiguity.

What was clear after the 1 hour session is that there is a stark contrast between the two men and how Chandra and Dann would approach the job. Chandra made it clear he would approach the job in terms of executive management and the Law while Dann would approach it more from a policy perspective. Both playing to their strengths and experiences.

This difference was perhaps best exemplified when they were asked what they would do first on day 1. Chandra said he would send out letters, as step one, to all the elected folks in Columbus and put them on notice that they must comply with the law and the Ohio constitution and begin the process of bringing our school funding into compliance or face legal consequences.

Dann in contrast said his first job would be to set policy for the hiring of outside counsel given the ethical issues this has raised during the Petro tenure.

It's no secret that I support Chandra and I think this was validated again for me today. I think it is imperative that we have an AG who is prepared to apply the law with the skills needed to win in a non political manner for the betterment of all Ohioans.

While Dann certainly has the experience and political connections when it would come to dealing with budgets and interfacing with the legislature, Chandra brings a quality to the office we haven't seen in over 12 years - legal acumen and a toughness to go after people who have for too long taken advantage of a sleeping office. When faced with hoards of high paid corporate lawyers having an AG on our side who has been there and done that and won against them in the past is crucial.

While I strongly support Chandra and urge everyone else to listen to him and consider supporting him too, Dann is guaranteed to have my full support should he win the primary. Either man is orders of magnitude more qualified and fit to be our next AG than Montgomery the likely GOP candidate.