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.

This story shows how a prominent defector can announce her unhappiness with a candidate and her support for his opponent in a way that makes Maes look both careless with money and record keeping and unfit to be governor. Poundstone is a former mayor of Greenwood Village and a long-time lobbyist. In other words, she’s been a political force in Colorado for a long time, and she still knows how insert a knife and twist it.

At the same time, when the Post gave Maes a chance to respond, he put his reputation up against Poundstone’s in a she said he said exchange he couldn’t win. Then Maes clumsily declared the conversation over. Christopher N. Osher shows how a good reporter gives each side their say and lets the reader decide who to believe. 

In this story, Maes loses once again. Like most losers, he will show that he thinks readers are stupid. He will blame the “liberal, biased Denver Post” for his latest embarrassment.

LINK:

Ex-backer of Maes’ says she gave him cash for mortgage help. By Christopher N. Osher.