George Brauchler
President, Advance Academy

George has been the President of Advance Colorado Academy since it began in 2021.

He previously served as the elected District Attorney for the 18th Judicial District (JD), Colorado’s most populous district, which includes Arapahoe, Douglas, Elbert, and Lincoln counties, from 2013-2021.

Over his career, George has served as a Deputy District Attorney, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, military prosecutor, criminal defense attorney, military defense attorney, and just prior to his election, the Chief of Military Justice — the chief prosecutor—for Fort Carson, the 4th Infantry Division, and the U.S. Division North in Tikrit, Iraq.

As a state prosecutor, he handled the felony cases from the Columbine High School mass shooting case, the Aurora Theater (Batman) mass shooting case, and recently, the STEM Academy school mass shooting case.

Colonel Brauchler serves as a military judge and legal advisor for NORAD-NORTHCOM in the Colorado National Guard.

He has served as an adjunct professor at the University of Colorado School of Law, University of Denver College of Law, the U.S. Army JAG School, and has trained state, military, and international prosecutors across the United States and worldwide.

George has appeared in documentaries and news programs about various high profile crimes, as well as having provided commentary on CNN, Fox News, NBC, Court TV, and every local television station.

George’s family lives in Parker, Colorado.

Michael Fields
President, Advance Institute

Michael is the President of the Advance Colorado Institute. Prior to that he served as the Executive Director of Colorado Rising Action and the State Director of Americans for Prosperity - Colorado. He brings years of nonprofit, educational, and legislative experience. He has served as a policy aide at the Colorado State House and also as a press aide for the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions. He taught both elementary and middle school at a charter school in Aurora – later serving as the governing board president of that school. He is a FOX31 Denver political analyst, as well as an adjunct professor of American Politics. Michael graduated from Valparaiso University and earned his J.D. from University of Colorado – Boulder. He and his wife, Mele, and their four children live in Parker.

Sign up for our newsletter

Colorado is a special place with special people. For too long, leaders have stood by while liberal special interest groups and politicians have turned Colorado into a testing ground for some of the most liberal policies and plans in the nation.


Sign up for our newsletter

Thanks for signing up!


x

Free Speech & Free Association

The Advance Colorado Team is committed to engaging in high-impact, public-interest litigation that has a direct and tangible impact on the people of Colorado. Our goal is to ensure that Colorado is a beacon of prosperity and opportunity for all Coloradans.

We are staunch defenders of the First Amendment and will challenge any government actions that restrict our God-given right to truthful and unrestricted speech.



Cases

Lopez v. Griswold

Colorado has the lowest contribution limits in the country for legislative candidates, and the second-lowest for statewide candidates. These extremely low limits act as an incumbent-protection mechanism and make it extremely difficult for challengers to run competitive campaigns. And the state makes it even more difficult for challengers by punishing them if they refuse to limit their campaign speech. This system violates candidates and their contributors’ First Amendment rights to free speech and association.

Complaint (D. Colo. Jan. 28, 2022)
Motion for Preliminary Injunction (D. Colo. Feb. 7, 2022)
Reply in Support of Motion for Preliminary Injunction (D. Colo. Feb. 24, 2022)
Order Denying Motion for Preliminary Injunction (D. Colo. Mar. 10, 2022)
Notice of Appeal (D. Colo. Mar. 17, 2022)
Opening Brief (10th Cir. May 26, 2022)
Reply Brief (10th Cir. July 26, 2022)

Salazar v. Public Trust Institute

When a citizen truthfully complains to enforcement authorities about a pattern of behavior by a former government official that appears to indicate he may be breaking the law, the First Amendment and Colorado law protect that citizen from a retaliatory lawsuit by that public figure. Yet, former Colorado legislator Joe Salazar has been able to drag citizen activist Suzanne Staiert and her organization, the Public Trust Institute, through the courts for more than a year after she filed a truthful complaint about his allegedly unethical behavior. Advance Colorado is helping Staiert and PTI say “enough is enough.”

Colorado Union of Taxpayers, Inc. v. Griswold

Colorado is violating the right to free speech by unconstitutionally applying vague and shifting standards to regulate groups that only incidentally discuss ballot initiatives.

Order Dismissing Case (D. Colo. Mar. 18, 2022)
Notice of Appeal (D. Colo. Apr. 15, 2022)
Opening Brief (10th Cir. July 5, 2022)

Let's keep this momentum going

We're grateful for your continued support and have big plans for 2023. Help spread the word and stay engaged as we work to return Colorado to the special place we know it to be and love.