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July 01, 2016 09:39 AM UTC

Trail of Evidence that Larry Mizel, Co-Chair of Trump Fundraiser, Owns the Colorado Statesman

  • 23 Comments
  • by: Jason Salzman

(Promoted by Colorado Pols)

Colorado Statesman publisher Jared Wright.
Colorado Statesman publisher Jared Wright.

It’s no surprise that Colorado Republican kingmaker Larry Mizel is a co-chair of today’s $10,000-per-couple lunch for GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump at the home of former Broncos’ coach Mike Shanahan.

But it inspired me to check out a tipster’s suggestion that I lay out a public trail of evidence showing that Mizel controls the Colorado Statesman, a political weekly that’s inserted as an ad in The Denver Post on Thursdays.

A search on the Colorado Secretary of State website reveals that the “trade name” of the Colorado Statesman is owned by “Mistro, LLC.”

The registered agent for Mistro is CVentures, Inc., and a simple Google search turns up numerous references to Larry Mizel as a director and chairman of the board of CVentures.

In 2008, Larry Mizel of “CVentures, Inc.,” gave $4,600 to Republican senatorial candidate Bob Schaffer, according to OpenSecrets.org. (So keep a close eye on the Statesman if Schaffer jumps into the U.S. Senate race next time.)

CVentures is located at 4350 S. Monaco St., Fifth Floor, which happens to be the corporate address of the giant homebuilding company, MDC Holdings. which Mizel founded in 1972 and for which he currently serves as director and chairman of the board.  MDC Holdings did not return a call from moi, if you can believe it.

A phone message at a number listed for CVentures on a Bloomberg “Company Overview of CVentures, Inc” was not returned either.

Why does this matter if Mizel owns the Statesman? Unlike me, who admits to a progressive orientation, the Statesman is claiming to be a traditional news outlet without any internal pull one way or the other. Playing it straight.

I trust some of the reporters at the Statesman and want to believe editor (and former GOP state legislator) Jared Wright when he says his goal is fairness, though anti-journalistic incidents, like one fill-in reporter doubling as a conservative political operative, have emerged. As well as other strangeness. And Wright doesn’t talk about Mizel.

So, to lesson concerns about Mizel hosting Trump fundraisers and to honor the journalistic ethics it aspires to reflect, the Statesman should tell its readers that it’s owned by one of the most powerful Republicans in the state of Colorado. Better yet, give Mizel a space to explain his intentions with the Statesman. And let readers take it from there.

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23 thoughts on “Trail of Evidence that Larry Mizel, Co-Chair of Trump Fundraiser, Owns the Colorado Statesman”

  1. I was a longtime subscriber to the Statesman, but dropped it not only because the price tripled (IIRC) but also because the partisan balance was clearly no longer there. This would certainly explain the imbalance.

  2. There might be a slightly more direct route smiley

    MiStro, LLC, (I have to wonder if that capitalization means something…Mizel & Stro<something>?) which does business as The Colorado Statesman, has a sole manager, Charles G. Hauber.  Colorado does not require listing the names of LLC members (actual owners) when a manager is listed.

    The same Charles G. Hauber is listed in the articles of incorporation for CVentures, Inc. as one of its three directors, along with a Larry A. and Carol Mizel.

    1. Do you think it's Mizel-Strogoff? MiStro LLC has been listed as the owner for years when Editor/Publisher Jody Strogoff was head of the newspaper.  Hasn't Mizel given campaign contributions in the past to Democratic as well as Republican candidates?

  4. I happened to see a copy of the Colorado Statesman lying around yesterday. Had never noticed it before. Opened it up and skimmed it, and realized right away it was a conservative pro-Trump rag. About as "fair and balanced" as Fox.

  5. Thank you, Jason. I have been a daily reader of Pols for years (and years). I have never written a comment before, but as a retired journalism teacher, I know how hard it is today to have the time and resources to actually uncover this type of information. And we all know the Post would never do it. Please know that those of us who use Pols to learn what is truly happening in Colorado appreciate all of you who research and share.

  6. I don't subscribe to The Statesman, but I do get The Hot Sheet for free in my email.    I've observed the rightward tilt that wasn't always there. But it is a good way to keep a jaundiced eye on the right side of the aisle.under the Gold Dome.

    1. Speaking of growing things, Dio, you were right about the yucca blossoms. They were everywhere for about a week and a half on the NE plains, then apparently, they all dropped off. I didn't try hacking off a sprig for salad this time. 

      Now it's all Indian paintbrush.  Or something rust colored and scrubby, about 3 feet high. Plus the sage growing wild everywhere.

      1. Yeah, it seems I missed that treat this year, too. Was out of town for a couple of weeks backpacking and kayaking, nothing left around here now.

        No Indian paintbrush recipes — nice to look at, though. And, I do love the smell of fresh crushed sage, but I leave the eating of that to the deer. 

          1. cook, I think that the plan was to meet up post-election. Lyrics to Kumbayah are optional. Of course, you or anyone can organize a warm-weather meetup first.

            I bet you have ornamental sage in your yard, one of those gorgeous big bushes. Do you use it much in cooking?

            I can take a morning walk and gather sage for burning or cooking. Sounds like a good idea today.

            1. I do cook with it. It's great for plastering all over a whole chicken before roasting it (when it's cooler!). I usually strip the bush and dry the leaves when the season changes. Maybe I'll bring some of the dried stuff along. Hey, maybe we'll get together in time for the Holidays. The sage would be great for all of those roasted turkeys (not to be confused with the ones we'll elect.

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