You may have missed the news earlier this week that El Paso County Commissioner Darryl Glenn, fresh off his “campaign” as the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate, is opening his own political consulting firm. As the Colorado Springs Gazette reported on Monday:
The El Paso County commissioner said DLG Esquire Attorney at Law will focus on assisting strategic policymakers, business and neighborhood leaders in “implementing innovative solutions to growing community challenges.”
“My experience as a county commissioner has taught me that the best ideas often come from our neighbors, church groups and community. But turning a great idea into a reality takes knowledge and ability,” Glenn said in a statement. “That’s where DLG Esquire comes in. Our team takes an idea and gives it life.” [Pols emphasis]
Glenn’s firm will help clients navigate the initiative, social enterprise and campaign processes, according to a news release.
We can all agree that “DLG Esquire” is a horrendous name for any business that isn’t an escort service; try telling your boss that you want to hire “DLG Esquire” for any reason and make sure to let us know how that conversation turns out. Of course, if you’re interested in paying Darryl Glenn for political advice (or to come up with advertising ideas) then the name you write on your check is probably the least of your problems.
But there is a larger issue at play here regarding outside employment for full-time elected officials in El Paso County. Back in 2011, the Colorado Springs Independent ran a well-sourced story trying to understand why full-time elected officials in Colorado Springs are allowed to moonlight in any capacity…and guess who showed up with a quotation?
Just because El Paso County’s elected officials are paid $87,300 a year doesn’t mean they can’t have second jobs. Several do. Two own law firms, another runs a bed and breakfast, and yet another works in real estate.
No law or policy bans such moonlighting, or even requires officials to divulge those outside interests, although the four officials referenced above have done so. And with no mandate for disclosure — unlike in city or state government — there’s no way for voters to know when county elected officials might encounter a conflict of interest between their public and private roles…
…Commissioner Darryl Glenn, who took office last month, says county officials should have to report private interests and assets, like City Council members must, and also disclose potential conflicts. (“I don’t have any,” he says.) Similarly, state officials are required to report sources of income and ownership on personal financial disclosure forms.
Glenn still has his hand in two businesses. He helps his wife run the Ultimate Fitness Zone “in the evening and on weekends.” And he retains ownership of Glenn Law Firm PC, despite serving as the commission’s liaison to the court. He says he has “restructured” his role in the firm and no longer takes cases, leaving his wife as sole litigator, “because I have to interact with the chief judge.” [Pols emphasis]
Need a key vote from an El Paso County Commissioner? It wouldn’t be a bad idea to hire Glenn’s consulting firm in the meantime; go ahead and try to argue that this isn’t a blatant conflict of interest.
Some Colorado municipalities do have policies in place that discourage outside employment when you are being paid a full-time salary for a full-time job, but this is a policy that should be implemented and enforced at a statewide level. While it’s true that the term-limited Glenn won’t be serving on the El Paso County Board of Commissioners for much longer, it’s completely absurd that he is allowed to operate a political consulting firm while simultaneously casting votes on behalf of residents of one of Colorado’s largest counties.
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I originally made a post here attempting to mock the porn-ish nature of Mr. Glenn’s group name. Folks posting after me indicated that they felt that I used language that sounded as though I was mocking Mr. Glenn’s race, by using what appeared to be a stereotypical patois often attributed to black Americans, rather than offering a light-hearted commentary.
As the impact of my words matters more than my intent, it’s appropriate that I remove the comment after having my failure pointed out to me.
Thanks
I'm confused. If that's the way I talk, which it is, how is that me being racist? Why would I not type the way I speak?
No body cares how YOU talk. You wrote this because you think that's how all blacks talk so consequently that must be how Darryl talks. You and your Pol friends probably got a big laugh.
Gotcha.
I'll find a way to remove the offensive post while still indicating that I understand why people might take offense to what I wrote. No sense anyone else feeling insulted.
Here's a first…I kinda sorta agree with PP – your post is a bit stereotypical. Who woulda thunk that PP could be so PC?
Way to go, Pear, teh Libs must be rubbin' off on you. Wait, that was unfortunately phrased….
Nothing about it is PC. It's common sense respect you show to your fellow man.
You mean respect like this, right?
Right
Mongo say R's dumm. D's verry smarrt. Mongo like D's.
Common sense conservative says Z is dumbest.
Any lawyer can append "Esquire" to their name, right? At least, that's what I've seen. Still makes for a weird sounding consulting firm name. Still a conflict of interest.
Sometimes a weird name is just a weird name.
It is a conflict. I think Glenn may have forgotten he still has a job for another 5 weeks or so.
I can't imagine this will be a successful business. I think Glenn has had a really lucky run since he maxed out in competence a long, long time ago
Eliminating a double post.
This is not a short term conflict of interest–Glenn has two more years in office before being term limited. Reelected in 2014 to a four year term.
That's why he had nothing to lose in running for Senate this year–guaranteed paycheck for another two years.