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April 24, 2014 07:44 AM UTC

Media omission: Gessler says only he has the "guts" to fight rampant corruption in CO government

  • 24 Comments
  • by: Jason Salzman

(Uh-huh – Promoted by Colorado Pols)

Scott Gessler.
Scott Gessler.

During a radio interview Saturday, Secretary of State Scott Gessler framed his gubernatorial campaign as a battle to save Colorado from the rot of corruption, saying our "state government is corrupt," and he's the only candidate who's had "the guts to stand up and say, 'No more.'"

"I’ve had the guts to stand up and say, 'I’m not going to tolerate this; I’m going to fight back,'" Gessler told KNUS radio-host Jimmy Sengenberger, citing his clashes with Democrats over his budget and ethics issues. "And no one else wants to because they’re afraid. They’re afraid that if a Republican gets criticized they can no longer win elections. And let me ask you, Jimmy, how has that worked out for us over the last ten years?"

"We are a party that needs to be bold," replied Sengenberger, whose show airs Saturdays 5 – 8 p.m. on KNUS. "I agree with you there–"

"I am the only guy who’s being bold on this stuff and what happens?" Gessler continued. "We have these fearful, weak-kneed, timid Republicans who are more interested in scoring political points against me than standing up for principle and saying, 'You know what? We have corruption in this state.'"

"Republicans need to stand up and understand that we have a corrupt state government. They shouldn’t buy into the corruption," he said.

During the interview, Gessler criticized members of the Independent Ethics Commission and called it "corrupt."

In June, the Independent Ethics Commission ruled that Gessler violated the public trust by using public money to attend a Republican political event. On the radio, Gessler was incensed by this decision as well as the Commission's dismissal last month of a complaint against Gov. John Hickenlooper

Gessler said at one point, referring to the Commission, "Let me tell you, Jimmy, this is a corrupt, corrupt government. And I will say ‘corrupt’ again."

Comparing the corruption he says he saw as a young man in Bosnia and Chicago to what he sees in Colorado today, Gessler said, "Where people no longer respect the law, we lose the foundation of our western civilization here. And we’re facing that in Colorado."

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24 thoughts on “Media omission: Gessler says only he has the “guts” to fight rampant corruption in CO government”

  2. If Colorado is corrupt then Gessler has made a tremendous contribution as a lawyer and SoS.  Or as the saying goes, "it takes one to know one."
     

  3. "Only I have the courage to be the corruption in Colorado government" – first draft of Gessler's statement.

    Colorado has one of the most open and accountable (and audited) state governments. I'm sure it's not perfect – in fact we sometimes see where it could have been better thanks to our state's established practices – but unless Gessler is proposing increasing taxes in order to increase oversight, Coloradans can be proud of our state's accountability. (Maybe Gessler will offer to work "on the side" for an extra fee as governor…)

  6. Quick Quiz: Is this,

    1. Psychological projection, (denying the existance of your own personal flaw while attributing it to your opponent). 
    2. A classic preemptive attack (accuse your opponent before he can accuse you) staight out of the Karl Rove playbook.
    3. All of the above.

  10. I'm surprised Gessler didn't mention the thousands of illegal aliens that Dems bussed into the state to vote in the last few elections, that were then given cushie government jobs.  But since their salaries are paid "off the books" they are really bribes.

    So yeah, Gessler probably has a good point.  With his solid investigative skills, I'm sure he's just holding off with this bombshell evidence until he gets closer to the primary election.

  11. Gessler is absolutely right. The corrupt "ethics commission" exists only to punish the enemies of ruling Democrats, that is obvious from their decisions. Liberals push corrupt legislation to facilitate voter fraud in order to perpetuate your own power.

    What this state needs is a Honey Badger to root out corruption!!

    2. You're consistently Gessler's #1 lame-ass apologist and spinner. Kinda makes one wonder what your personal connection is to this (other) corrupt piece of crap…

    3. The Ethics Commission exists because the People of the State of Colorado voted it into existence.  You have a beef with the People?  Take it uo with the People.  In the meantime, Gessler remains the poster boy for whatever is wrong with ethics in Colorado.

      This isn't a winning issue for you or Gessler.

  12. Joe Neguse,  Secretary of State candidate, spoke at a fundraiser in Pueblo today. Mr. Neguse was asked how his budgetary and financial policies would differ from Gessler's, as the chief officer in the Colorado State Department. 

    Neguse reminded the crowd that Colorado's State Dept. had had a budget surplus for every Secretary of State since Colorado became a state – except for Scott Gessler. Neguse said that he would promote rules that are small-business and non-profit friendly, and which would keep State on a sound financial footing.

    Bo Ortiz, who co-chaired the fundraiser, added that he believed that Mr. Gessler promoted rules that were intentionally more large-business friendly, and which did not provide resources for elections. 

    The legislature is apparently going to bail out Mr. Gessler's self-created 5 million budget deficit, which Gessler falsely blamed on HB1303, Colorado's new election law.  

    In the Governor's race, voters need to be reminded that Gessler is terrible at governance. 

      1. Well, IIRC, one of the groups he represented when he was a partisan hack, I mean a partisan not grafting off the taxpayer, was Western Traditions Partnership that bought Tom J his BoCC seat in GarCo.  

  13. Neguse reminded the crowd that Colorado's State Dept. had had a budget surplus for every Secretary of State since Colorado became a state – except for Scott Gessler. – See more at: http://coloradopols.com/diary/57213/media-omission-gessler-says-only-he-has-the-guts-to-fight-rampant-corruption-in-co-government#comment-547711

    But that's the Democrat's fault! Gessler, like every GOP ever caught at anything, is a victim.  He has a 'wide stance' that's all. 

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