Listen: City Attorney candidates face off in Airtalk debate

Candidates for Los Angeles City attorney, (from left) Carmen Trutanich, Mike Feuer and Greg Smith, face off in a debate in the AirTalk studios at the Mohn Broadcast Center on February 5.

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Rebecca Hill/KPCC

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Los Angeles City Prosecutor Carmen Trutanich

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Roberto (Bear) Guerra

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CIty Attorney candidate Mike Feuer (right)

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City Attorney candidate Greg Smith

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Courtesy Greg Smith

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Defending incumbent Carmen Trutanich, and candidates Mike Feuer and Greg Smith join AirTalk for a lively debate. What kind of city attorney do Angelenos need? What's your question for the candidates?

There is a dogged battle in the race for L.A. city attorney. The defending incumbent, Carmen Trutanich, is facing ambitious challengers. Mike Feuer, former state assemblyman and past L.A. City Council member, has raised nearly $1 million to aggressively take on Trutanich as a known quantity.

Also funding a tough campaign is Greg Smith. The private attorney has a formidable war chest of several hundred thousand dollars. He's using some of it to fund TV ads - the only campaign to do so. It's all in an effort to be the city's number one attorney: counsel to the mayor and city leadership; defender in court cases and prosecutor of misdemeanors.

What kind of city attorney do Angelenos need? How can he balance the interests of citizens with the interests of city leadership? What's your question for the candidates?

Guests:
Carmen Trutanich, Incumbent City Attorney for Los Angeles

Mike Feuer, Candidate for City Attorney of Los Angeles; Former State Assemblyman; Former L.A. City Council member

Greg Smith, Candidate for City Attorney of Los Angeles; Attorney in private practice