The state attorney debate hosted by WBOB and held at the Salem Center on Saturday evening was very lively and informative to say the least.

Incumbent Angela Corey, Wesley White and Melissa Nelson sparred off for two hours over various topics as the moderator, Bill Hay tried to keep them in line.

Candidate White’s opening statement summed up the feelings of the evening. He said:

Your vote for State Attorney on August 30th is the most important vote you will cast. Tonight, I ask that you put aside the television commercials and politics as usual. I ask that you rely on your instincts, common sense, and personal experience. I urge you to look beyond the rhetoric of law and order, and seek out experience, judgment and leadership. This is a pivotal moment, there is a persuasive belief that the system is rigged, it is unfair, and unjust.

I had the privilege of sitting next to a disgruntle self proclaimed Nelson staff member who wouldn’t give me his business card for some odd reason. Ironically that was the tone of the debate: awkward, tense and heated.

Nelson and White hammered Corey hard on the latest news articles stating she was politicking in the office and members of her campaign were supposedly asking State Attorney staff to donate and support her campaign. She claimed that was a lie.

White attacked Nelson and stated her campaign was funded by large money PAC’s and wealthy supporters who want to “buy” the State Attorney position. He calls Nelson the “check book candidate.”

Nelson denied that allegation and urged everyone to look at her funding reports. She said it is made up of smaller donations and that her campaign raised $700,000 in 60 days because people want her to win and she has a lot of support.

Nelson also admitted she did not get the required petitions signed to enter the race. Instead she paid to enter the race which she said was unfortunate but she did not have “the luxury” of campaigning for over a year and to be honest she did not make up her mind until recently because she has been really busy at work.

When it comes to the attacks Corey is getting in the media Corey said they are all lies and she warned the Times Union was the worse offender.

Nelson and White refuted that statement and kept giving references why the stories were true.

When it came to the attacks against Wes White, it was said he was sued for sexually harassing an employee at the State Attorney office and they settled instead of going to trial. White said the accusations were lies and he stated if you read the woman’s testimony she states she was not sexually harassed. Corey and Nelson disagreed.

When Corey was asked if she would prosecute and/or ask for investigations against other elected officials and county employees she said she always does and just recently a member of the sheriff office went to jail.

Nelson’s response to the question was there should be equal justice for all and everyone is subject to the law whereas White stated Corey does not people. He said the State Attorneys office violates the law itself and the “fox is guarding the hen house.”

There were rare parts of the night were they agreed with each other but for the most part they had different opinions. All the candidates seemed knowledgeable, some seemingly stretched the truth but as an overall it was evident the race is tight and the candidates know it.