The bad blood between anti-tax activist Douglas Bruce and Colorado Springs City Clerk Kathryn Young will be in full display during today’s City Council meeting.
Bruce is planning to speak at the meeting and put Young on the spot over the way she handled an $11,000 omission in the campaign filings of the political committee that campaigned against issue 300, which Bruce authored and voters approved Nov. 3.
The No on 300 political committee, led by Kevin Walker, filed its report of campaign contributions and expenditures on time.
But Bruce noticed that the group didn’t report a mailer that made him the target.
Bruce immediately contacted the City Clerk’s Office and demanded that Walker be fined.
“Simply telling Kevin Walker to file a revision is NOT satisfactory,” Bruce wrote in an e-mail to Young on Nov. 1. “He violates the law in every election. He filed a grossly fraudulent report … and he should pay the maximum penalty for that.”
In an e-mailed response, Young said Walker had been contacted and instructed to provide the information that was the basis of Bruce’s complaint.
“Mr. Walker indicated a mistake had been made and that the flyers should have been reported on the previous report,” Young said in the e-mail to Bruce.
“He was instructed to file the appropriate amended report,” she said. ”Penalties are imposed for non-compliance. Compliance was the basis of your complaint. Compliance was obtained and the complaint was and has been closed since Nov. 2.”
Bruce said Walker, who was fined $50 for missing an earlier deadline to submit campaign finance reports, should’ve been fined again.
“It was concealing a massive percentage of their income and expenditure,” Bruce said. “What’s the point of having these reports if the city will give a pass to somebody that’s on the city side of a ballot issue?”
Young said Walker wasn’t fined because he filed the report on time.
“Errors can be made,” she said Monday. “They’re made all the time.”
Walker downplayed the fact that it was such a big expense and said he had simply made “another mistake.”
“I don’t do this for a living,” he said, apparently referring to filing campaign statements. “I have a job.”
Afterward, Walker sent an e-mail to The Gazette saying he wasn’t making excuses.
“I feel that disclosure is appropriate in elections, and I have corrected my mistake,” he said.
Bruce still isn’t satisfied with a correction.
He said he’s going to ask council members to tell Young “to do her job.”
“She shouldn’t be in charge, frankly, of any elections because she is not capable of being neutral and obeying the law,” he said. “Personally, I think she ought to be fired.”
This city government is so dishonest. Not only should there be a recall election but a few of the city leaders should be thrown in jail for a very long time along with some of the employees.
Another City Blunder! When is the City of Colorado Springs going to abide by the law?
I wonder if a fine would’ve been opposed if it was the vote yes on 300 PAC? Based on pst performance, its a safe bet that maximum fine would.ve been imposed.
Mr. Bruce deserves some cheese and crackers to go with his whine. Does this guy ever shut up?
See what you guys did? You empowered the curmudgeon and now the damn fool won’t shut up.
jeep4fun says:
November 24, 2009 at 12:56 pm
Mr. Bruce deserves some cheese and crackers to go with his whine. Does this guy ever shut up?
HE MIGHT – IF THE CITY AND SOME OF ITS KEY EMPLOYEES EVER STOPPED LEAVING SLIME TRAILS…
SPEAKIN’ OF ENDLESS WHININ’ – *YOU *LOST!
Wed Gazette article “Bruce blows nose” Thurs Gazette article “Bruce has gas” Friday gazette article ” Bruce takes nap”……….
JOIN THE RECALL EFFORT! WE HAVE THE PETITIONS! I WILL BE EMAILING THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE DECIDED TO JOIN THE EFFORT! WELL DONE GOOD AND FAITHFUL CITIZENS OF COLORADO SPRINGS!!!! SIGN THE PETITION WHEN YOU SEE IT! IF YOU WANT TO VOLUNTEER TO HOLD A PETITION>>>EMAIL ME AT: SuperDad_53@yahoo.com
What brilliance on the part of the citizens of Colorado Springs. You voted in favor of Bruce’s latest attack on the city, and now, empowered, he is out in public everyday looking for new ways to waste the city’s money answering his scurillious charges.
Do you all feel good about yourselves? You created a monster and emboldened a bully!
Well, that is the definition of both the Republican Party and the Religious Right – monstrous bullies!
dougie bruce and his TABORITES are nothing more than loud greedy cowardly rethuglicans…no more needs to be said.
1. Rich Garrison owes the G for every unpaid advertisement he makes on these boards.
2. The G should advise the honorable mayor that someone is illegally impersonating him – and retract the statement above made at 3:56pm, November 24, 2009
So…boomer, “errors” or “mistakes”, or let’s say, GROSS negligence should be ignored just because of who is making the complaint?
Really Bogart? Nice thought…if that was what it was intended to be….thanks for the laugh!
I think if Bruce and Haggard were ignored – they would go away. However, on the other hand, there would not be much to report, locally.
Boomer49 says “dougie bruce and his TABORITES are nothing more than loud greedy cowardly rethuglicans” Better than a democrat like you who wants to take money from the real workers. Why is it greedy to keep your hard earned money and not let the city blow it away wthout thought?
I am so sick of Doug Bruce and all of his ignorant supporters. City leaders have the most thankless job. These stupid citizens badgering Council when they are the hardest working volunteers trying to do something that benefits the City for you retards. Maybe we should all move and leave this place to Doug and his supporters – you all could celebrate the piece of trash that once was a city and you could be so proud. Don’t go to some other community wanting to benefit from services. Stay here and enjoy the piece of shit city you wanted so bad. Don’t forget, no one is going to want to buy your house, to live in the decrepid place.
LOL
sorry skytwit but yer still an idjit…move back to Mississippi and that cozy single wide behind yer gran-ma’s house.