UPDATE: This blog post has been updated with new information about Michael J. Duncan.
A new political committee whose stated purpose is to “educate the voters of Colorado Springs regarding their mayoral candidates” came out swinging with a quarter-page ad in the Sunday paper.
The ad by Citizens Tired of the Status Quo blasts Americans for Prosperity, a Republican advocacy organization that is running TV and radio ads against Richard Skorman.
The ad questions whether Steve Bach’s campaign is “illegally coordinating with out of town funders to produce sleazy negative advertising.”
“Laura Carno, Steve Bach’s campaign manager, volunteered for Jeff Crank of Americans for Prosperity, produced his radio shows and continues to have close ties with him,” the ad states.
While the ads targeting Skorman use the word “liberal” four times, the ad against Americans for Prosperity uses the word “sleazy” six times.
The ad encourages readers to call Bach and “ask him if he will swear on his Bible that no one in his campaign knew anything about these sleazy ads” against Skorman.
“Call Steve Bach …and demand an end to these sleazy campaign ads. This is not what Colorado Springs is all about,” the ad states.
The new political committee filed papers with the City Clerk’s Office on April 26.
The registered agent is Michael J. Duncan, a local attorney who is the past president of the Trails and Open Space Coalition. Duncan serves on the boards of Justice Watch, the American Civil Liberties Union and Safe Place, according to his online biography.
According to filings with the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office, Duncan is also the registered agent of the Colorado Springs Sun, which is owned by John Weiss, publisher of the Independent newspaper. Weiss took a leave of absence from all aspects of the news and editorial departments of the Indy to work on Skorman’s campaign.
“He’s probably the registered agent of lots of things,” Weiss said about Duncan.
“Michael has done some work for the Independent from time to time, including registering the name The Sun,” he said. “He did it for free.”
Duncan did not respond to an email seeking comment.
The chair of the political committee is Frank Wimberley, according to the ad. Wimberley contributed $50 to Skorman’s campaign Jan. 31, according to campaign finance reports. He contributed $50 to Skorman’s council campaign in 2003, reports show. In November, he wrote a letter to the editor in support of Skorman.
In an email, Carno reiterated that the Bach campaign isn’t coordinating with Americans for Prosperity.
“As I said last week when the Skorman campaign brought up this same information, there is no coordination between the Bach campaign and any outside groups,” Carno said.
Crank, a conservative radio show host who is the state director of Americans for Prosperity, said he planned to forward the ad to his attorney tomorrow.
“There’s an old legal saying that goes, ‘If you have the facts on your side, pound the facts. If you have the law on your side, pound the law. If you have neither on your side, pound the table.’ The left continues to pound the table,” he said in an email.
“Nobody on the left has challenged the veracity and truthfulness of the AFP ad – and with good reason. The ad, which focuses on Richard Skorman’s policies, is factually true. Citizens of Colorado Springs should call Richard Skorman … and tell him that those policies are hurting Colorado Springs.
“Since they cannot attack the truthfulness of the ad, they have chosen to try to demonize the person and organization responsible for it. They have done so without a shred of evidence to support their claim. Sadly, they’ve chosen a personal attack instead of confronting these policy issues head on.
“Americans for Prosperity will continue to focus on the economic policies which will make Colorado Springs strong and create jobs in our community. We’ll leave the personal attacks to others,” he wrote.
Swear on a bible – seriously? Shall we call Judge Judy? The Skorman campaign is starting to look pathetic.
I would like to go back to the issues please. Good grief!
For years, this kind of sleaze was typical at the county. Can we afford this at the city level also – check out the article after article from the Gazette on county petty politics:
Click on the “Too Many Problems” on the below website.
http://springsunigroup.webs.com/
Story after story after story and it would appear this will be the order of the day – rather than attacking the need for economic strength and attacking the problem of 31,000 unemployed and 22,000 jobs that have moved south – we have personal attacks!
“Sadly, they’ve chosen a personal attack instead of confronting these policy issues head on.” Richard Skorman the Liberal is following Saul Alinskys’ Rule No. 13.
Rules for Power Tactics:
1. Power is not only what you have but what the enemy thinks you have.
2. Never go outside the experience of your people.
3. Whenever possible, go outside of the experience of the enemy.
4. Make the enemy live up to their own book of rules.
5. Ridicule is man’s most potent weapon.
6. A good tactic is one that your people enjoy.
7. A tactic that drags on too long becomes a drag.
8. Keep the pressure on with different tactics and actions, and utilize all events of the period for your purpose.
9. The threat is usually more terrifying than the thing itself.
10. The major premise for tactics is the development of operations that will maintain a constant pressure upon the opposition.
11. If you push a negative hard and deep enough, it will break through into its counterside.
12. The price of a successful attack is a constructive alternative.
13. Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it.
While I would like to see the candidates advertising their ideas for how to run the city, what I don’t want is outside groups getting involved in our local politics. If it’s against the law for AFP to fund local campaign ads, I want them shut down. If it’s not, that’s unfortunate for the people of Colorado Springs.
Optomist do you have anything other than groundless assumptions and incendiary rhetoric to contribute?
Or is that as deep as you go?
Correct, Zen. This person is merely parroting the Jeff Crank talking points. And has been doing so for a while now. http://www.jeffcrank.com/2011/05/left-gets-beat-at-their-own-gameagain.html
So the answer to your question is yes, that’s as deep as they go.
So the plot thickens with the connection between Duncan and Weiss. Be careful when you start casting stones, Mr. Skorman.
Instead of investigating Citizens Tired of the Status Quo, why doesn’t the Gazette investigate the alleged impropriety of the Bach campaign? Is this another example of the Gazette carrying water for its candidate of choice?
Why do I NOT see the Koch brothers in this piece?
They started and fund AforP. This is an attack from them just like in Wisconsin and Michigan and elsewhere.
Any mention of AforP is incomplete without the obvious funding by the Koch brothers, while this piece goes into $50 detail on the other side of the coin.
http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Americans_for_Prosperity
skorman will tax you, spend your money on every make me feel good entitlement programs that liberals see as economic growth
What is that, opentodiscussion? You are saying that any connection with AFP is undesirable? I am associated with AFP, in that I read their material. That is not unfortunate in the least!
The point, here, is the ads, the nature of these campaigns, the irresponsible smear charges that Skorman thinks the good people of COS will believe.
Here’s what I believe. The good people of COS will accurately discern the truth from these ads, and they’ll vote Bach into office.
Instead of denying the charges Richard Skorman’s political action committee has charged Americans for Prosperity of sleazy negative advertising. Skorman needs to address the charges not the messenger.
Wow…what part of “I’ve been researching Richard Skorman and everyone associated with him for the better part of the year” do these people not understand???
Michael J. Duncan is the agent of record and/or incorporator of Socoads.com…an organization listed as being owned by John Weiss and associated with Richard Skorman.
Other businesses associated with Duncan are:
American Law Worx Inc (can’t wait to tell you a story about them)
Medicine Wheel Trail Advocates Inc (isn’t this an TOPS thing?)
Spirit Heart Healing Center Llc
Capstone Investment Financial Group Inc
Capstone Investment Financial Group Inc
Resurrected Properties (?)
Christian Lawworx
Justice Watch Of The Pikes Peak Region Inc
Colorado Springs Conservatory Properties Llc (also associated with John Weiss)
Eagle Developments Inc
Resurrection Investment Inc (?)
Bestowing Blessings Inc
Rocky Mountain Learning Enterprises Llc
Rocky Mountain Learning Enterprises Llc
Deluxe Interactive
G A Domino Construction Inc
Friends Of The Fountain Fund (awww, H*ll to the No!)
Terry Schwartz & Associates Llc
Inside/out Youth Services (Weiss-founded age 13+ gay youth group)
G & G Auto Service, Inc
Terry Schwartz & Associates, Llc
Co-dependent Llc, Delinquent August 1, 2006 (again, a Weiss organization)
Bristlecone Building, Llc (this is by the Trestle Building across from America the Beautiful Park)
Christopher R Mcnulty, Do, Llc
Manitou Market Llc (AGAIN a Weiss-owned business)
Read more about it at:
http://spydrasweb.blogspot.com/2011/05/decoding-skorman-michael-j-duncan-esq.html
It is amazing that one of Bach’s supporters is the Spydra……someone who is in dire need of serious mental health counseling, Spydra will tell you that America the Beautiful park is the same as 666. take a look at her blog for crying out loud. That is a bunch of B.S. Spydra also gets paranoid when the flight for life helicopter flies overhead because she will swear that it is someone spying on her. Good God, it just goes to show you that Bach supporters are just not all there….Don’t believe me? Take a look at her blog
So I guess you will tell us that Richard Skorman is the anti christ just like you tell everyone that America the beautiful park is the same as 666.
This insanity just gives me another reason to vote for Richard Skorman.
I feel sorry for you Spydra…..I hope you get some serious mental health counseling and quickly before you really go off the deep end.
Hey Spydra,
I am worried about your mental health for sure I promise you that Richard Skorman is not the devil, and the flight for life helicopters are not going spying on you. Perhaps Steve Bach would be in support of some serious mental health treatment for you….Oh Yeah that’s right……Steve Bach doesn’t believe inb that sort of thing I guess he doesn’t care about your health as long as he gets your vote….You’re voting for Bach, I guess you’re screwed!
If you can not believe them then you must make fun of them.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lqJm3o7Q1A&feature=related
Didn’t Noreen have an article about this kind of stuff last fall and concluded since it is politics there is nothing really wrong with any adds that are misleading.
Daniel, your article in today’s Gazette intends to mislead with the headline “New group calls Bach ad sleazy.” As you well know, the ad was produced by AFP and you have not been able to demonstrate that there was any coordination between AFP and the Bach campaign. Instead you rely on desperate sound bites from the Skorman campaign. Using your standard, your headline should have read “Skorman ad calls Bach ad sleazy.”
It’s sad to see that so many at the Gazette and the Indy have decided to pick sides in this race.
Louise,
I didn’t write the headline that appeared in today’s Gazette. However, I will share your concerns with the appropriate editor.
Thanks.
Daniel
Daniel, thank you for passing along my concerns. As a reporter, are you not allowed input in a headline? So many people just read the headlines, and this one is certainly misleading.
Louise,
I am allowed some input — more so on headlines that appear online — but yesterday was my day off, so I wasn’t in the office.
I hope you thought the story itself was fair. I tried to reach everyone involved, which was a little challenging on a Sunday. Thank goodness for email, right?
Daniel
Daniel,
I am glad that you looked into Michael Duncan’s background and reported on that. I can understand that putting a story together on a Sunday is a bit challenging. My problem was with the headline. Thank you for the clarification.
loan…
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