MILLION SUBSCRIBERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. ON THE NORTH SHORE NOW. TODAY, THE SAINT TAMMANY PARISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HOSTED A FORUM FOR TWO CANDIDATES WHO ARE RUNNING FOR DISTRICT ATTORNEY. WDSU REPORTER ARIELLE BRUMFIELD IN MANDEVILLE, WHERE THE TWO CANDIDATES DISCUSSED THEIR PLATFORMS TODAY. WELL, BOTH REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES ARE VINCENT NGUYEN AND COLIN SIMMS. THEY LAID OUT THEIR PLANS FOR IF THEY ARE ELECTED. BOTH CANDIDATES WERE CHARGED UP AS THEY ARE VYING FOR THAT DISTRICT ATTORNEY SEAT FOR SAINT TAMMANY PARISH AND WASHINGTON PARISH. THE 300 AND SOMETHING CASES MY OPPONENT TALKS ABOUT ARE MISDEMEANORS AND TICKETS. IT’S A STATE OFFICE. IT IS NOT A FEDERAL PROSECUTIONS OFFICE. THE TWO WENT HEAD TO HEAD, PRESENTING THEIR STANCES AT A FORUM THURSDAY AFTERNOON IN MANDEVILLE. SO THERE’S MONIES THERE THAT I HAVE STILL NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THEY ARE. SO THE CONCEPT THAT THE DA’S OFFICE DOES NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT FUNDS, I BELIEVE IS NOT CORRECT. THIS IS YOUR DA’S OFFICE. YOU DESERVE AN HONEST DISTRICT ATTORNEY AND WE SHOULD BE TELLING YOU ABOUT WHAT WE’VE REALLY DONE, NOT TRYING TO FOOL YOU AND MAKE UP OUR RESUMES, WHICH MY OPPONENT HAS DONE. SUPPORT FOR SPECIALTY COURTS, MENTAL HEALTH AND DRUG REHABILITATION RESOURCES, THE USE OF BODY CAMERAS FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND MENTORSHIP PROGRAMS FOR JUVENILE DELINQUENTS ARE WHERE THE CANDIDATES FOUND COMMONALITIES. BUT THINGS GOT DICEY, ESPECIALLY ON THE TOPIC OF HOW MONEY SHOULD BE MANAGED IN THE DA’S OFFICE, WHICH GETS ABOUT 5.5 MILLION FROM BOTH SAINT TAMMANY AND WASHINGTON PARISHES. I’VE RUN THE OFFICE WITH $1 MILLION LESS. AN EXPERT FROM THE PARISH. WHEN WE WERE ENGAGED IN NEGOTIATIONS FOR OUR BUDGET, ACTUALLY CONCLUDED THAT WE RUN THE DA’S OFFICE IN SAINT TAMMANY WITH $3 MILLION LESS THAN THE AVERAGE. I BELIEVE THAT THERE’S ISSUES THAT WE’RE IN THAT OFFICE. WE’RE ABLE TO SELF-GENERATE FUNDS. I THINK THERE IS SUFFICIENT MONEY IN THE BUDGET TO ACTUALLY RUN THAT OFFICE. UM, I TRULY BELIEVE THE OFFICES OVERSTAFFED AND IT NEEDS TO BE CLEANED UP. BOTH CANDIDATES VOWING NOT TO RAISE TAXES AND CHALLENGING EACH OTHER’S RESUME. SIMMS IS THE INTERIM DA AND SERVED UNDER FORMER DA WARREN MONTGOMERY AND WINN, HOPING TO SWEEP THAT SEAT AND REFORM THE OFFICE’S ONGOING BUDGET ISSUES IS THE PROBLEM WITH MY OPPONENT IS THAT HIS EXPERIENCE AS A PROSECUTOR IS LIMITED TO 18 YEARS AGO, HANDLING MISDEMEANOR MINORS AND TICKETS. HE’S NEVER RUN A FELONY DOCKET. HE’S NEVER PICKED A JURY. HE’S NOT NEVER DONE A CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION. I’VE TRIED OVER 400 CASES AS A CIVIL LITIGATOR. I’VE TRIED JURY TRIALS AS WELL. I THINK YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS NOT A PROSECUTOR’S JOB. THIS IS A JOB FOR AN ADMINISTRATOR THAT HAS THOSE EXPERIENCES AND I HAVE THAT EXPERIENCE. AND SIMMS SAYS HE PLANS TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE POSITIVE INTERVENTION FOR VICTIMS AS WELL AS FAIR PROSECUTION OF DEFENDANTS. WIN IS HOPING TO SECURE THAT SEAT, AND HE SAYS HE WANTS TO BE A FAIR, ACCESSIBLE AND FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE DA. THE ELECTION IS IN MARCH, REPORTING