Ethics

Democrats are doing all they can to scare Republicans into voting for the ethically-challenged Dan Maes instead of helping elect former U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo governor of Colorado. And the Denver Post political writers are doing all they can to help the Democrats by writing misleading stories about the situtation and quoting warnings by a Democrat political consultant, Fred Ciruli. Even if the reporters are trying to be objective and fair, their work looks very biased in favor of Obama Democrat John Hickenlooper. I support Tancredo and my agenda is obvious.

It’s clear that Obama Democrats want to run John Hickenlooper against Dan Maes Republicans, not Tom Tancredo’s integrity. So they won’t attack the ethically challenged Dan Maes Republicans the way you’d expect. Tom Tancredo and Freda Poundstone tell voters why Maes is unfit to be governor. He has an integrity problem. The Tancredo ad:

Note that since John Andrews was filmed endorsing Maes, Andrews has withdrawn his support for Maes and has said that he’ll write in Jane Norton’s name for governor, which make no sense.

Obama Democrat John Hickenlooper has agreed to 10 debates with disgraced Dan Maes, an unethical and incompetent Republican who has been disowned by his party.

Tom Tancredo won’t participate in the debates, but he’ll probably get more good, free publicity out of the Hickenlooper and Maes show than they will. Think about it. Colorado voters will watch two of the most distrusted politicians in the state compete to see who makes the most promises that they can’t fulfill. Before and after every debate, the media, bloggers and Tancredo will mock the debates, find fault with the debaters and wonder what kind of man would debate a loser like Maes. Hick’s cynicism will rally Republicans and independents behind Tancredo and give him a terrific chance to win the gubernatorial election on Nov. 2. I can’t wait to hear Tancredo’s response to Hick’s attempt to use Maes to trash the GOP. And if any Republicans still think Maes is their guy, his vindictive cynicism and willingness to help Hick defeat downticket Republicans will change their minds. Every Colorado GOP candidate is now totally free to attack the disloyal, vindictive and unethical Dan Maes for trying to make Hickenlooper look like a hero. Tambor Williams should resign from Maes’ ticket in protest. I think the series of debates should be called Two Con Men Talking.

The big story this morning is that Ken Buck says he still “absolutely” supports Dan Maes for governor.

Ken Buck, who was required to take an ethics class while he was a federal attorney, absolutely endorses Dan Maes. Wow!

Has Ken Buck handed a killer ad to appointed Obama Democrat Sen. Michael Bennet and the 527s that back the senator? I’m afraid so. 

Buck, of course, is required by convention and maybe even by Republican Party rules to back the party’s other candidates. But Bennet won’t let him get away with being a Dan Maes Republican. 

I support Buck and was the first to call on Dan Maes to quit. And until this morning, I thought Buck had a 53% chance of beating Bennet. Now, I"m not so sure. I’d put the odds that Buck will win at 45% at this point.

When I tried to chat with Buck after his appearance at the Arapahoe County Republican Mens [and women’s] Club yesterday, he clearly didn’t want to talk to me. He was afraid, I think, that I would ask him about Maes. I didn’t because I thought he had made it clear during his appearance that he was keeping his distance from Maes. And I didn’t want to put him the spot.

Now with his reiteration of his absolute support of Maes, Buck has put himself on the spot. Again.

LINKS: Former Sen. Brown withdraws endorsement for Dan Maes, By Karen E. Crummy. Why I think Dan Maes is too unethical to be governor of Colorado, The Business Word, 8.16.2010. Why Dan Maes is unfit to be governor. The Business Word, 7.15.2010. Terrence Carroll calls on Scott McInnis to drop out of gubernatorial contest; Dan Maes must go, too. The Business Word, 7.13.2010.

Former Sen. Hank Brown has withdrawn his endorsement of Dan Maes for governor because of Maes’ ethical lapses, Karen Crummy reports. Will Ken Buck, the GOP’s U.S. Senate candidate, and former Sen. Wayne Allard also show that ethics matter to them and withdraw their endorsements? Will former Republican leaders of the state senate, John Andrews and Mark Hillman take back their misguided endorsements. The red flags have been waving at potential Maes supporters for weeks. GOP contributors have taken heed and are putting their money into other races and even contributing to Obama Democrat John Hickenlooper. Tom Tancredo saw that Maes was nothing but bad news weeks ago, and that’s why he is running against Maes and Hickenlooper for governor. Brown told the Post that he’s “looking around” for another candidate. Will Maes pass up another opportunity to do the right thing and quit? LINKS: Former Sen. Brown withdraws Maes endorsement in guv race. By Karen Crummy.

During Dan Maes’ campaign for governor of Colorado, he has been caught embellishing his resume. He claimed to be a successful business executive, entrepreneur and turn around artist. His income history—what little he’s disclosed—shows a mediocre record, at best. This morning’s Denver Post reports that Maes not only was fired as a police officer as he’s previously disclosed, but also that his claims that he was involved in undercover police work are disputed by his former boss and others. This is the Dan Maes that partisan Republicans and party leaders are backing for governor—a guy who lies on his resume. He says its a “non issue.” Where have we heard that before? Hint: Scott McInnis on his plagiarism scandal. Democrats will love this one. Dan Maes should quit the gubernatorial race now! LINKS: GOP gubernatorial candidte Maes backs off claims of undercover police work, by Tim Hoover. Why I think Dan Maes is too unethical to be governor of Colorado. The Business Word, 8.16.2010.

While Colorado Republican Party leaders are cracking the discipline whip with warnings that any state or county central committee members, district captains and precinct leaders who support Tom Tancredo for governor over the unethical and incompetent GOP candidate, Dan Maes, will be removed from their positions, dissension is soaring within those committees and the party. If you attend any GOP meeting and event, you’ll hear it and feel it. Apparently, 

I am not paid by anybody to blog. And I don’t accept ads, although I’ve thought about it and discarded the idea because I’m too busy being retired to start another business. Been there and done that.

But the Daily Caller reports some well known blogs take money from candidates and parties. That’s ok if the money buys ads, not blog posts like this one. It’s not ok if a blogger is a consultant to someone the consultant works for. There are a lot of ethically challenge people in politics, business and life as well as among political and nonpolitical bloggers and posters on YouTube, FaceBook and Twitter, etc. 

Readers beware.

LINK: True story of bloggers who secretly feed on partisan cash. By Jonathan Strong.

Hear no evil, see no evil and cover up all evil Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, an Obama Democrat who is running for governor of Colorado, rarely comes out of his bubble to infect voters with his opinions and plans. But he has made a big statement with his mishandling of Denver’s rogue cops. For voters like me who are just beginning to pay attention to Hickenlooper, the first impression is devastating.

Even the liberal 

Obama Democrat and Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper is trying to hide in a bubble so that he won’t infect voters with the reality of his ambitions. But he doesn’t need to give interviews or answer questions from voters. You can see what 

The Democrats’ public relations machine is swinging into action against Republican Ken Buck. They are calling on the Federal Election Commission to expedite its ruling on a complaint filed by a Jane Norton supporter that said Buck illegally communicated with his former employer about fundraising. The ethics complaint didn’t help Norton who lost to Buck in the GOP primary, but she didn’t pursue the complaint as hard as the Democrats probably will. They’ll be much nastier.

A bunch of retired Republican politicians are jumping on Dan Maes’ sinking ship while at least three major GOP contributors are jumping to Obama Democrat John Hickenlooper’s campaign. Apparently  Republican Party officials and the has been politicians who are supporting Maes don’t think his lack of talent or experience in running anything successfully or his ethical problems disqualify him from heading their ticket or serving as governor.

Freda Poundstone was an early supporter of Dan Maes. And she tells the Denver Post that she gave her financially struggling candidate more than $300 in cash so that he could pay his $3,300 mortgage. But she became unhappy with Maes, voted for Scott McInnis and now supports Tom Tancredo for governor. Maes denies that the money was a gift and says it was a campaign contribution. Poundstone says he’s “a liar.” Now, Maes’ campaign is trying to trace the $300 and figure out why it failed to report it as a campaign contribution.

After Cliff Dodge resigned this morning as president of the Arapahoe County Republican Mens club to run Tom Tancredo’s gubernatorial campaign, another former president of the club and a former chairman of the Arapahoe County Republican Party, Nathan Chambers, declared that he thinks the GOP’s candidate, Dan Maes, is in over his head and unqualified to be governor of Colorado. Chambers is a highly regarded GOP activist and observer. Several Colorado editorial pages and conservative bloggers, including me, agree with Chambers.