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August 22, 2005 08:00 AM UTC

Monday Morning Rumor Mill

  • 23 Comments
  • by: Colorado Pols

There’s always something interesting:

Dan Grossman has told elected officials from Southwest Denver that he is reconsidering his decision to run for Attorney General and may run instead for reelection to the State Senate. Grossman perplexed party insiders by not filing candidacy papers for Attorney General. Grossman has been bluntly told my many large liberal Democratic donors from 17th Street Law firms that they will not support him as he has no chance of defeating appointed incumbent John Suthers.

Chris Romer, who is quickly earning a reputation as a political gadfly, has decided not to run for the Denver Board of Education. Romer took out nomination papers but decided in the end not to run. Romer is still contemplating a run for either State Treasurer or for Grossman’s Senate seat should Dan not seek reelection.

There is a nasty feud developing within the Denver Democrats. Executive Committee members reported one of the bitterest meetings in recent memory as Treasurer Barbara Groves and Chair Sharon Klein traded barbed accusations.

Groves is apparently upset over sloppy record keeping by Klein: Groves as Treasurer must sign forms to the Secretary of State, yet she feels she has been kept in the dark about financial matters. Some in the party are suggesting that both step down. Both Groves and Klein are busily seeking elected official support in this internal struggle.

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23 thoughts on “Monday Morning Rumor Mill”

  1. I’ve heard that Groves isn’t concerned about sloppy record keeping – she is upset over money that is just plain missing. Groves was elected by the Central Committee to keep an eye on the books. Sharon Klein has no right to refuse to show her the books.

    Besides, whats Klein hiding? Fraud? Embezelment? Maybe if shes caught she can use her husband’s old strategy and claim shes mentally incompetent. Sure worked for Ben!

  2. Seems like a lot of Dems are getting a little nervous in hanging their neck on the line in 2006…is everyone waiting for C & D to pass or fail?  The way the polls are looking, ’06 may be a great year for straight D ticket voting in Colorado, so it baffles me why there’s so much hesitancy to jump in the water.

  3. I hear the issue is the Bingo money and a failure by Klein to have an independent audit of the books in over ten years.

    Groves has apparently already been to the Sec’y of State regarding this and Klein is not happy about that.

    I agree with ShowMeTheMoney – if there is nothing to hide, what is Klein so upset about? 

    Could this be that the former treasurer is Susan Rogers, a political ally of Klein, and one she supported for the Election Commission, and if there is negative stuff it could reflect on both of them?

    This is not about party politics this is about missing money, unaccountable funds, and possible violations of the law.

    Why hasn’t Klein had an audit of the party books in over ten years, as party rules require?  Did she just forget – dereliction of duty – or is it something worse?

    Go Barbara Go.  Don’t let the backroom party hacks keep you from doing your job.

  4. This while the Denver Dems are pushing to establish a “Century Club” of larger (by county party standards) donors?  I’ve long found the county party surprisingly ineffective, but did not realize things were this inexcusably lax.  Thanks for the scoop, and yes, Go Barbara Go.  Better to get the house in order in a non-election year.

  5. I was at the Denver Exec. Committee Mtg and the issues pointed out here so far do not accurately portray the situation between Chairwoman Klein and Secretary Groves. Various accusation have bene atributed ot the wrong accuser.

    While I do not wish to go into details in this forum (I feel it an internal issue for the Denver Dems to resolve), the one clear thing that was apparent that there was a communication problem that seems to have fault laying on both parties. There will be an effort at mediation to resolve the issues which have come down to a “she said-she said” situation.

    I, for one, hope they are able to resolve this like the intelligent and well-meaning ladies that they both are.

  6. Bingo every week.
    Where does the money go? Add it up. Where does all the money go from 52 weeks of bingo every year? What do the Denver Dems do?
    Than ask:
    Who investigates bingo?
    The Republican Secretary of State.
    Let me tell you.
    All them Sharron lovers who put up with her incompetence better take some action. Andrew Romanoff, Dan Grossman, Alice Borodkin,Ken Gordon, Anne McGihon better stand up and run Sharron out. Or, they can face headlines about a bingo investigation as election time nears.

  7. The Secretary of State has already assured the Denver Dems that there is nothing amiss with their handling of bingo.

    As for the bingo money…it really is not all that much and goes to paying for the office rent and the one part-time paid staff person the party has.

  8. Hey Dan
    You have a copy of that letter from the Secretary of State exonerating Sharron? Why don’t you post it verbatim in your response so that we all know that it truly is OK

  9. Sharron says that the Secretary of State pronounced her bingo operation a OK.
    Dan Willis a hard working decent guy says that everything is OK they just make very little money on bingo. If, they make so little money why do they constantly badger everyone to work there? If, the Secretary of State said all is OK how come Sharron did not simply provide copies of the letter at the Executive Committee meeting?
    Fact is that the Denver Democrats are headed for a great big fall unless good guys like Dan Willis wake up. If elected officials from DeGette on down do not do something they will have Sharron Klein egg all over their faces as they are members of that esteemed group’s Central body.

  10. I should point out that I am not following Sharron Klein blindly. I like her okay as a Chair, but if she were to found to have done something wrong, I would be the first to rap her knuckles for it.

    As for the Sec. of State issue. When Sharron told the Exec. Cmte that the Sec. of State was informed of the issues revolving around the bingo problem and that she (the SoS) had said the party was not in violation of bingo laws or rules, we were told this was a product of a phone conversation.

    I would not have stated it here as fact if I had not verified it for myself. I called the Sec. of State’s office the next day, where I have a good relationship with several employees (including the recently departed Sec. Davidson) and was told basically the same thing that Sharron told the Exec. Committee. So there is no letter to produce.

    As for “why keep doing bingo?” Because it is our primary steady source of income. Even though it does not pay the bills by itself, it goes a long way to keeping the office up and running. The Exec. Committee mentions in nearly every meeting a desire to find another fundraising source, but no one has presented a viable option yet. Until they do, bingo continues (yuck! personally I hate working bingo).

  11. Dan: The issue seems to be two fold:

    1) The a’ok from the SofS would of course be vaild if the numbers being reported to them are correct. BUT, if the accounting is inaccurate, then money is missing, and not only is that a problem with issues of Fraud and embezzelment, but it would require every report to the SofS to be amended. Even if there were no legal issues with this (which I doubt), there will be a HUGE public relations problem which will go on and on and on…. ultimately becoming a drag on the Dem Legislators and candidates.

    Second: You really don’t have it right Dan with this she said/she said scenario. Sharron wants to pitch that perception, but its just not true. The Treasurer is independently elected by the Central Committee. She DOES NOT serve at the pleasure of the Chair. There have been plenty of times in the past when the Executive Committee Officers haven’t gotten along. They don’ have to like each other, but they HAVE to be allowed to do the jobs they were elected to. Sharron refusing to open the books to Barb is illegal (despite what that moron Frank Sullivan may have ruled) and  her refusal to do the “right thing” keeps the smell of illegalities and dirty politics alive and permeating the Party.

    Everything I have heard points to Sharron trying to coverup her own incompitance and also and trying to hide the possibly criminal behavior of Susan Rogers.

    Sharron’s been running the Party into the ground for YEARS.  The reason Romanoff, et.al aren’t doing anything about this situation is they all learned long ago that the best way to deal with the Denver Dems is to work around them. It’s a “party” in name only – no organiztaion – no committee people – no ability to get anything done but embaress the whole process.

    And, BTW, I remember when there was close to $100,000 in the Bingo Fund. It was supposed to be used to buy a permanent home for the Denver Dems, but instead got eaten up in a few election cycles when  the Party didn’t do its work and virtually no other outside money was raised. Lea, Delores and Doris are rolling over in their graves. Thanks a bunch Sharron. You leadership has made the Denver Democratic Party as dead as those three great women are.

  12. I see in another posting that Sharron’s pal Dan Willis may have been accused of doing something he should not have done during the Kerry campaign.
    This stuff is serious. Jenn Veiga, Andrew Romanoff, Dan Grossman and the rest of the elected officials are also statewide leaders of the party. They are members of the Central Committee even though they rarely attend. The new Secretary of State will be a Republican partisan. The enforcement person will be Republican Attorney General Suthers. If, Sharron’s friends such as Rep. DeGette, Jenn Veiga think that they can hide in the sand on this one they are mistaken. Does anyone doubt for one second that the Republicans would hesitate to convene a Grand Jury to investigate this at the most opportune time. It is time for
    these elected officials to show leadership.
    There have been warnings to the Central Committee about this for years. By the Way Central Committee members it will be hard to cite ignorance since you have been warned many times. Fire Sharron, Hire an auditor clean this mess up before the Republicans do it for you

  13. So, Sharron made a phone call and all is OK.
    We have Dan Willis who allegedly received a cease and desist letter from the DNC defending Sharron.
    Let us be serious.
    1. The Secretary of State will be a partisan Republican. The Attorney for the Secretary of State is John Suthers a partisan Republican. The Secretary of State enforces bingo operations
    2. Degette, Grossman, Romanoff, and the others are leaders of the party nationally or statewide. They are also Central Committee Board members,
    3. The entire Central Committee has been warned for years about this bingo mess. But, have chosen to do nothing.
    I would recommend that the Central Committee take a look at what they may responsible. I can just see Dan Grossman running for Attorney General and proclaiming gee I did not know I thought Ben Klein was trustworthy. A fine recommendation for someone seeking to be the State’s top law enforcement officer.
    Central Committee — fire Sharron — hire an auditor or get ready for a Grand Jury appearance at the most opportune time for the Republicans.

  14. I dont know how far this could go, but Fish is right…. its time to force Sharron to resign.

    This weekend the State’s Central Committee meets – perhaps its time for the STATE party to get the Denver party back in control.

    Whatever we do.. lets do it before we head into 2006! And don’t worry about Sharron. She can take a page out of her husband’s book – claim insanity when you are charged with fraud and stealing funds.

    Unfortunately, in Ben’s case it was true. He is about the craziest SOB I have ever known.

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