Michael Allen, running as a Republican candidate for attorney general in Colorado, expressed his surprise over a recent Democratic initiative to legalize prostitution, suggesting it could lead to increased human trafficking in the state. In an interview, he noted, “It’s hard for me to even understand why they decided it was the time and place to introduce such a radical bill.”
This bill, introduced by Democrats including Nick Hinrichsen and state Sen. Lisa Cutter, aims to “decriminalize adult commercial sex acts.” Allen contended that it would push Colorado to the forefront of legalized prostitution, contrasting it with Nevada’s more regulated approach.
“I was shocked,” he admitted. He added that such a move, according to his thoughts, wouldn’t address existing issues in Colorado like budget and crime deficits. “Frankly, it’s very scary to me that we have four left-leaning Democrats who think it’s a good idea to open the floodgates and let criminals get away with no consequences,” he said.
The sponsors of the bill did not provide any comments when reached out to. Allen, who is also serving as Colorado’s district attorney, is one of two Republicans in this race, and if successful, he would be the first Republican in that office for over a decade. He believes that voters are leaning towards a Republican solution after years of ineffective criminal justice reforms, despite the state’s Democratic majority.
While the bill seems to be stalled currently in the legislature, Allen criticized it, claiming it reveals how Democrats are failing to act in the best interest of Colorado residents. He predicts that passing the bill would lead to “continued depravity in Colorado.”
Presently, Colorado reports a high number of human trafficking victims, ranking among the top states in terms of reported cases. Data shows that a significant portion of the trafficking incidents involves commercial sex acts, supporting Allen’s claims regarding Denver’s trafficking situation.
As a candidate, he has expressed a commitment to tackling human trafficking if elected attorney general, mentioning that his office could use statewide grand juries to investigate and prosecute these crimes, holding offenders accountable.
Allen emphasized the importance of the upcoming elections, arguing that a stronger stance from the Attorney General’s Office is necessary to effectively combat the criminal issues affecting all of Colorado.
