The Republican candidate for Geary County Attorney, Krista Blaisdell, says the county has a diverse, transient population and the prosecutor’s office can’t be one dimensional. She would create multidisciplinary teams to assist the prosecution effort if she is elected.
The Democratic candidate for Geary County Attorney, Chris Biggs, noted the Geary County community has a fairly high crime rate…per capital through the year. He noted the current prosecutor’s office where he serves as deputy county attorney is efficient. Biggs added he has a reputation as a prosecutor who is tough but firm, and who looks at the individual person.
Biggs cited one issue in the campaign, noting Blaisdell has her office at the Junction City Police Department and is friendly with many of the police officers. He said, “My job as prosecutor is not always to tell the police officers what they want to hear. My job as a prosecutor is to seek justice, and sometimes that means disagreeing with police officers. If you have too close a relationship with them it makes it much more difficult to be in a position where you can perform your role as a prosecutor, and looking at cases and doing your job to make sure you’re safeguarding justice in the community.” Biggs added the county attorney’s office wants to work with law enforcement but not for law enforcement. He said the county attorney serves the people, but not one particular sector. He questioned whether the public wants someone with limited experience and who is close to law enforcement.
Blaisdell addressed her side of that issue. “If you think I’m influenced by law enforcement go have a conversation with any JCPD officer and they will tell you that if they have done something wrong, if a case is not sufficient I will not prosecute it. I hold them to a high standard and I expect it. We have a mutual relationship where we work together. I’m not influenced by them in the cases that I file. I do not work for them, they do not work for me.”
Both candidates participated in a Junction City Area Chamber of Commerce sponsored forum at the C. L. Hoover Opera House. Candidates for 2nd District Geary County Commission, 17th District State Senate, 68th District House, U.S. Senate, and 1st District U.S. House all participated in the forum.