Deborah Bucknam, a Republican attorney from Walden, officially announced her bid Monday to succeed Attorney General William Sorrell, a Democrat who is not seeking re-election.
“Vermonters are looking for change in leadership and a new direction,” Bucknam said. “As attorney general, I will not only be the attorney for the state of Vermont, but I will also be the attorney for the people of Vermont.”
Bucknam, an alumna of Vermont Law School, has been practicing in the state since 1979. She has litigated thousands of cases in all Vermont courts, including the Vermont Supreme Court.
Bucknam said she has been struck by how much the state’s opiate crisis has overburdened the court system and that the problem needs to be aggressively addressed to ease delays in the courts.
She added that state agencies need to be more accountable to citizens and said she would set up an ombudsman wing in her office as attorney general to advocate for Vermonters who have legitimate concerns with state agencies.
Bucknam referred to herself as “an independent thinker.” Still, she criticized Sorrell’s work on national issues, saying that “there are plenty of problems in Vermont. We don’t need to engage in large multistate lawsuits.”
Sorrell, who has held the office for 20 years, faced allegations last year that he violated campaign finance laws and that he hired a Texas law firm in return for a campaign donation. An investigation cleared him in January of the campaign finance allegations but didn’t address the “pay-to-play” accusation.
The Republican Party echoed Bucknam’s criticism of Sorrell in a statement supporting Bucknam.
“For too long, the attorney general’s office has lacked coherent leadership,” said Jeff Bartley, executive director of the Vermont Republican Party. “This office should not be a political office, but rather a resource for Vermonters, businesses and those who practice law.”
On the Democratic side, Chittenden County State’s Attorney TJ Donovan is running for attorney general. According to March financial disclosures, he has already brought in more than $220,000 from 762 contributions.