Mitch Christiansen
In a rambling and rabid e-mail sent last week, one-time mayoral hopeful Mitch Christiansen lashed out at nearly everyone in the race but the candidate he endorsed after dropping out.
Christiansen called Richard Skorman and Dave Munger “two of a kind” and then made a homophobic remark.
“Munger will not beat Skorman. He does not have the backing of the Gil foundation (homos),” Christiansen wrote in the e-mail to Sheryl Glasgow, a businesswoman who contacted Christiansen after hearing that he had endorsed Steve Bach for mayor and accepted a job from him in return, which Christiansen denied.
(Read more about Glasgow by clicking here.)
In the e-mail to Glasgow, Christiansen also ripped into mayoral candidates Buddy Gilmore and Brian Bahr as well as two of Bahr’s campaign workers, brothers Kyle and Nathan Fisk.
Christiansen said there was “no way” he could endorse Gilmore.
“He has been feasting at the taxpayers’ expense and wants to bring in more DOD. I do not like his constant name dropping of people he knows in Washington, DOD, green jobs, which make no sense – you lose 4 good jobs for one green job. 20 years from now they might be viable,” he wrote.
Christiansen said he couldn’t even support Bahr in a run-off “as I would not vote.”
“He is an absolute immature idiot, a rank amateur. We have a rank amateur in the white house do these people want another one to occupy city hall. All Bahr is trying to do is buy an election as a stepping stone to higher office,” he wrote.
Christiansen blasted Kyle and Nathan Fisk.
Kyle Fisk is Bahr’s campaign manager, and his brother also works for the campaign.
“The Fisk brothers along with Bahr are the sleaze operators in this entire campaign,” he wrote.
Kenneth Paul Duncan doesn’t stand a chance, Christiansen wrote.
“Duncan will not get more than a handful of votes,” he wrote.
Christiansen told Glasgow, who owns and operates Turf Master Industries, Inc., that he dropped out of the race to prevent Skorman from winning the election.
Glasgow had contacted Christiansen after hearing that he had endorsed Bach.
“Being the point blank person I am, from what I have heard, you have endorsed Steve Bach and accepted a job from him. That news is not being well accepted by your friends and colleagues,” she wrote in an e-mail.
“Certainly it is fine to drop out of the race and certainly it is fine to accept a job with Steve. However endorsing him immediately after, looks deceiving when people now believe the two scenarios are seemingly connected,” she wrote.
Christiansen denied that he had accepted a job from Bach, calling it “absolute bull!”
“If that is what people want then I should have stayed in,” he wrote. “However Bach is leading and I was a strong 2nd yet I don’t think I could have caught him. I made the decision to endorse Steve so we have a better chance of winning. Yes I will be working with him to have him bring out more direct issues and solutions as I have done. I have told him I would do that.”
He said his decision to drop out was based “upon what is best for this election” and the Republican Party.
“People better get over this nonsense of not going after a fellow republican,” he wrote. “They had better get after Bahr as he is another Rivera.”
Christiansen said Bach is the best choice.
“Bach has conservative convictions as I have, maybe not as strong but at least he is real,” he wrote. “And for everyone’s info the biggest portion of his money donations come out of the Broadmoor area. (Steve) Shuck is not the big player just a contributor.”
Last week, Christiansen announced that he was dropping out of the race and backing Bach.
On Monday, Christiansen called himself a “stand in” for Bach at an event hosted by the Colorado Springs Medical Cannabis Council.
Laura Carno, Bach’s chief of staff, said Bach appreciates Christiansen’s endorsement but that he’s not an official spokesman for the campaign.
Bach is running “a clean, issues-oriented campaign,” she said.
“Mr. Christiansen’s endorsement of Steve Bach does not indicate that Steve has co-opted any of Mitch’s views,” she said. “He speaks for himself.”
Hey Mitch, Festus from “Gunsmoke” called, he wants his hat back!
Besides, its TOO SMALL for your large head and apparently is cutting off the blood flow to your noggin.
Danny,
Where’s the response from Bach about the quid pro quo? Come on now, show some of that investigative initiative you’ve shown before and grill him on this.
We do not want someone that actively engages in bribery in the Mayor’s office. Especially now.
Mitch is basically telling lies about everyone and everything. All due respect to the reporter here but why are you wasting space allowing him to spread this kind of vitriol.
ALSO didn’t the gazeete report that Christiansen is now appearing places as a spokesperson for Steve Bach? What is Bach’s response to this sh-t?
Makes me even happier that I voted for Tom Gallagher!
Tom will make choices that are good for the citizens.
We don’t need all these ultra-conservative types in our city government.
Nor do we need the ultra-liberals who will spend us into debt . Water for the springs is good, and needed for the future, but the SDS plan as it stands is not in our best interest. It is way too costly.
Keep the ultra’s out of office.It takes the shine right off of this beautiful city we call home.
He didn’t have anything to say about Tom Gallagher??
Mitch has been speaking on Steve Bachs behalf. Now we get this just plain hate speech.
Bach should put a muzzle on his dog.
I’m an undecided voter but if this clown likes Bach then I’m voting for Bahr or Gallagher.
Dear readers,
I’m waiting for a response from the Bach campaign. As soon as I hear back from them, I’ll update the blog post.
Thanks.
Daniel
Has any candidate made a statement against illegal immigration? Ithink it is the Mayor’s job to initiate a mandatory E-Verify system for hiring new employees for Colorado Springs government, ensuring that subcontractors for the city (blacktoppers, for example) and requesting that the local ICE office makes some well placed “audits” of local businesses.
mopickelly,
The answer is yes. Since you asked, I’ll blog about that later.
Daniel
STEVE BACH deliberately deleted my 3/21 & 3/22 posts on his Facebook wall and he has not answered an email I sent through his campaign website. I was trying to get clarification on rumors that BACH LIED about growing up on a farm but actually spent his childhood living in an upper class Kansas City neighborhood. I believe BACH deleted my Facebook posts so others couldn’t see my question which only confirms that he did lie and is NOT to be trusted!
@mopickelly–YES! A couple of Mayoral candidates have talked about the immigration issue.
Brian Bahr has a statement about immigration under the “Issues” section on his website: http://www.SpringsMayor.com. Bahr supports using e-verify for city subcontractors and also made the decision to use e-verify for his own company.
Bahr believes in prioritizing resources on the basics like public safety, infrastructure, and parks. Part of good stewardship and using tax dollars as efficiently as possible is ensuring that public city services are for those here legally.
Bahr has stated he will advocate for enforcement of current immigration laws and strategic reform of immigration policy and has pledged that under his leadership, Colorado Springs will never become a sanctuary city or incentivize illegal activity.
Hope that helps!
Thanks Kyle. That helps a lot. Discouraging and stopping Illegal immigration ranks very close to the top of my list. What good will it do to save our economy, improve our infrastructure, and improve our education system if we lose our sovereignty to another country?
Kyle,
When did Mr. Bahr decide to use e-verify at his own company? I thought he didn’t use it. Will you please clarify?
Thanks.
Daniel
Dear Mitch,
I’ve known Brian Bahr for over ten years. Your baseless and mean-spirited attacks are uncalled for and absolutely untrue.
Do you just attack and call names or do you have any actual facts to support your position?
Brian is a strong fiscal and social conservative. He is a man of deep core values, honor, and personal integrity. He has run a positive campaign about his vision for Colorado Springs.
He has had incredible business success and can translate the best principles of business to better city government. He has incredible maturity and wants to serve our city.
Where do you get off making this attacks? What sleaze has Brian done in this race?
To the Gazete staff,
Please help me understand why you would publish this garbage, not give both sides a story, and why you would even consider giving this nonsense any ink or attention whatsoever!
Mopikelly I have also called for E-Verify for companies that wish to do business with the city. I asked other candidates to join me in pledging to do that. Bahr, Gallagher, and Duncan agreed to support the pledge.
@DavidEvans – I have heard him a couple of times say that he lived in the city and spent weekends at his family farm. Be careful before you allege people lied, that is unkind. There is a lot of recorded material out there, maybe it is out there.
I am not sure who is dumber: Christiansen for his drivel, Glasgow for bringing it to someone’s attention or the Gazette for publishing this tripe. Publishing it hasn’t done anything for Bach (which the Gazette endorsed) except making it look like his supporters are bigoted idiots (which most probably aren’t) and smeared the other candidates as well by publishing unfounded gossip. Maybe Chrisitiansen sampled a little too much at the Medical Cannabis meeting…
@Daniel
As you know, Brian Bahr stepped out of day-to-day operations of Challenger Homes on Jan 1st to focus on being the first Strong Mayor of Colorado Springs. He still serves as Chairman of the Board and interacts with the executive leadership at Challenger.
Challenger Homes had been exploring using e-verify for some time and recently made the decision to have their external HR team begin using e-verify for all employees.
Bahr clearly agrees with e-verify in principle and is committed to helping those who are legal get the jobs rather than remaining a sanctuary city.
The nice thing is the program is free. One of the obstacles for private employers is the “liability” clauses one must accept to participate. In essence, these clauses expand the liability for the company beyond what would normally exist.
In other words, for trying to do the right thing, each company must agree to accept additional liability with respect to employee manuals, paperwork, etc.
Even with the additional liability, Challenger Homes made the decision to move forward and begin using e-verify.
@Kyle- Is Challenger only using E-Verify for Challenger direct employees only? The problem is usually in the sub-contractor area — Challenger hires a company to do the framing — that company hires illegals. Is Challenger doing anything to check on the actual job sites?
@Doogie….Your statement in regard to Medical Cannabis is also bigoted! You wouldn;t make that kind of statement toward somebody using a pharmaceutical medicine, so why make it toward cannabis?
Kyle: What is an “external HR team”? I would think that the I-9 system that many employers use (if they don’t use E-Verify) would be a lot more work than using E-Verify. The big concern by companies contemplating using E-Verify is “they don’t want “to act” as immigration agents. Actually by using E-Verify, the responsibility becomes that of the ICE people. Sure they have to keep copies of certain things, but the responsibility for approve/disapprove is that of the system. The system is free, fast and accurate. This is just my understanding. I do not own a business.
To Debra: If in fact BACH has acknowledged that he lived a privileged life in K.C., then WHY did he purposely delete my respectful question on his Facebook wall or respond to my email thru his campaign website instead of acknowledge my concern and answer it??? To suggest that my honest inquiry is somehow “unkind” is a reach; I am an informed voter who is trying to decide on the best candidate for Super Mayor and TRUTHFULNESS is at the top of my list of requirements!
@Mopikelly–Bahr believes in managed competition! Better services at a lower cost. Rather than having internal human resources at Challenger Homes, they outsource this service to a company specializing in personnel functions. They will be the ones implementing e-verify procedures prior to employment
@S–Yes, it is my understanding that e-verify will be implemented across the entire company–subs are required to comply with the law at Challenger Homes. Brian, in his company and as Mayor, will have a common-sense, law-abiding conservative philosophy towards immigration policies.
Bahr’s position on immigration is clear and can be viewed online at http://www.SpringsMayor.com
MopiKelly, my plan is focused on veterans, but really works for all legal citizens. The reason I focused on vets is that the unemployment rate for 18-24 yr olds returning from conflict is over 20%. A number of them get into trouble with drugs, alcohol, or worse as there are no jobs to help them integrate back into society. E-verify is not a perfect system, but with over 30,000 local citizens out of a job, we should be doing everything we can to ensure those here legally get first shot at jobs.
@DavidEvans, I don’t work for Bach so I don’t know. I’d guess your accusatory tone? Not seeking to really understand, just to be mean? You say you are an informed voter, but you make an accusation based on one article, when you haven’t seen other sources. Most people would ask the question to clarify, not make the assumption, based on one article, that a candidate lied.
This meltdown was predictable. When Mitch first threw his name into the hat he tried to argue with me on the Gazette’s site. He was rude and nasty. He backed off when called out on it, but showed his true colors.
To: DEBRA – Hummm, I didn’t mention anything about ” based on 1 article” and I am NOT a mean-spirited person. My posts to this story were and are based on the fact that BACH DELETED my polite inquiries about his childhood on his Facebook wall and he has declined to reply to my inquiry email thru his campaign webpage. Debra, actions speak louder than words. If there is no basis to the rumors that he is lying about part of his past, then BACH should have had the professionalism to clarify that to me instead of trying to expunge my questions. Now please stop making retaliatory assumptions about me and let this e-conversation end with a draw. Thank you.
@DavidEvans, my apologies. Someone a week or two ago said the same thing, word for word and connected it to an article. I assumed you were the same person, although I don’t recall the name. You are right. We can be done with it.
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