A $200-a-person fundraiser for mayoral candidate Steve Bach at The Broadmoor last night is generating all sorts of buzz today.
The invitation to the event, which states that unlimited contributions are allowed, was obtained by the City Desk blog from someone who is on Bach’s mailing list.
The organizers of the event included a who’s who of Colorado Springs, including Gary Loo, Kathy Loo, Bill Hybl, Attorney General John Suthers, developer Steve Schuck and Steve Bartolin, president and CEO of the Broadmoor.
“That’s the power structure,” John Hazlehurst, a former city councilman, wrote in the Indy blog.
“All of the hosts have exercised significant power in this community for at least 25 years,” he wrote. “Any aspiring politico had better be on the good side of every one of these folks – and you’d better be a solid conservative as well.”
Laura Carno, Bach’s chief of staff, declined to say how much money was raised.
And they say Bach will change the way city hall does business…
I’m failing to see what the big deal is. Is this the first time this type of event has been held in the history of politics? And does anyone really care what John Hazlehurst thinks?
Daniel, I heard you were there with your checkbook.
Does this mean John Hazelhurst isn’t a supporter of Steve Bach or maybe they didn’t invite Left Wing Liberal Reporters.
Louise,
You heard wrong.
As a reporter, I can’t contribute money to either Mr. Bach or Mr. Skorman.
Daniel
Sounds like a room full of people who are concerned about the economy recovering. Sounds like they thing Bach will do that.
The Strong Mayor position is being PURCHASED by Mr. Bach and supported by outside organizations.
People are nutzo if they are calling any reporter at The Gazette, “Liberal”- or is it that they just can’t buy them off like everyone else?
Daniel, how does this fundraiser differ from the Police Protective Association giving Skorman $30,000.00? Oh yea Special Interest for collective bargaining now I’m seeing the picture!
SSDD.
If you vote for Bach, then you need to learn the GOP greeting: BEND OVER.
@ Jackie – My comment was directed towards John Hazlehurst, columnist for The Independent.
The wheels have fallen off of Richard Skorman’s campaign. Not surprised when your campaign manager (John Weiss) is the Publisher of The Independent.
A real scary thought is Richard Skorman as Mayor and John Weiss as Chief of Staff. Maybe that why John Weiss contributed 15K to Richard’s campaign . . .
If any purchase of the mayor’s job is going on, it is Skorman, having significantly out raised and out spent Mr. Bach, who is attempting to buy the position.
And if Skorman gets elected he will most certainly use tax dollars to buy favors and votes for re-election. It is the new American way.
I was invited to the Broadmoor because I donated to Mr Bachs campain. If by slim chance Skorman gets elected there will be one less business in town because I will leave.
I recall Obama also had a fundraiser there @$1000 each, now the whole country is “bending over”!
TFBR,
We reported the $30,000 in contributions from the PPA a couple of weeks ago. Did you see that story?
Daniel
Pretty easy to see who will be calling the shots if Bach wins….developers, right wing hacks (I’m talking about you Lamborn), and the usual cast of ideologues and other losers who have done so much to make this city into the nationwide laughingstock that it is today.
Good-bye, Bob…
Reporters may not be able to donate to campaigns, but public records list Mrs. Hazlehurst among Skorman contributors. But I guess that’s okay, especially since the Independent’s publisher has contributed over $12,000 to Skorman’s campaign.
Richard Skorman camp is flooding folks with e-mails once a day.
5.2.11 – Patricia Seator (Richard’s wife) Women for Skorman call night
5.3.11 – Richard Skorman (urgent message) Attacking Jeff Crank
5.4.11 – Richard Skorman (need help) walk with Firefighters Local 5
take a day off and door knock, help with phones.
All the last minute donations, phone calling, door knocking won’t change Richard Skorman. He is a Liberal Activist, supported by Activists and was Named in 2008 by The Independent the
***** TOP ACTIVIST *****
Vote for Steve Bach
So, the cast included D(uh)g Lamborn, The Dumbest Man in Congress, Keith (“little colored boys”) King, Janet (the real AG) Suthers, and Steve “thePuppet Master” Schuck?
Look at that list, citizens. Are those the people you want representing you? Do they have your best interests in mind?
Vote for moderation and reason. Vote for Skorman.
Johnkoury- Another supporter of Richard Skorman. The liberal activist campaign is scrambling. Don’t worry, you all can still hang out at Poor Richards and drink wine & whine!
Steve Bach has this campaign won!
What I’ve seen of Mr Bach shows he would not be a horrible mayor. But I’ve yet to see or hear what he can offer in the way of a “big picture” of what CS needs to be a better (not bigger) city. The one item I like is he understands its time for CS to stop acting like we can do everything alone and would involve the city in regional and state efforts to bring jobs and infrastructure.
His supporters tho, whew, they scare me. Too many of them want hold to the Tea Party Orthodoxy of all things: cut taxes, hate government, cut regulations (unless the protect business), cut taxes, worship business and hate taxes.
Mr Skorman would be a good mayor. Though… I’d like to see more specifics on what kinds of business he’d try to bring us. His supporters seem to be regular working people to me, and yes, some liberals who garnered naught but scorn from other candidates. I’ll be voting Skorman.
@tim – Richard Skorman couldn’t bring jobs when he was on city council even or listen the citizens about growth in 2005.
On the Gazette put in Richard Skorman and start reading from the oldest articles forward about Skorman, then go the City of Colorado Springs and research thru the city council notes.
Nice Guy – Not a Mayor!
Vote for Steve Bach
wow…this is THE power structure for old-guard Republicans in the community…and yet the mayoral race is officially non-partisan? We should run away from Bach, the Kings, Lamborns, Shucks, and the rest of the people that think Colorado Springs is just for the Broadmoor elite…this is repugnant and should serve as a warning to the rest of the community who Bach is truly answerable to…
Broadmoor Elite includes Richard Skorman who lives in the Broadmoor in a house valued over a half a million dollars.
Bob, so you were at the fundraiser, but are not one of the “elite” on the invitation? Sounds like normal people were there?
Gosh, beepbeep…that’s because Richard Skorman is a successful businessman. You’re not faulting him for that, are you? You make NO SENSE at all.
Arnie – If you really know Richard Skorman supporters, (Activists like Rita Ague, Mark Lewis, Patrick Ayers, Eric Verlo, Not my Tribe . . .) you’d would know that they label everyone that lives in the Broadmoor an Elitist. Make sense now . . .
http://www.csaction.org/Calendar/calendar.html
CS Action – Springs Action Alliance – Mark Lewis
One in the same – One of Richard Skorman’s supporters.
Tim –
Check out Skorman’s plan, “Opportunity Springs,” on his website (right there on the home page) http://www.skormanformayor.com
It’s kind of dense language, and 20 pages long, but if you can get through it I think it will answer most of your questions.
He wants to bring in businesses that will benefit from our location and existing advantages – healthcare, sports medicine, outdoors-focused, amateur sports and other things to play to our strengths.
Colorado Springs isn’t the spoils of war, folks. It’s our home. Some of this talk is all about tearing down other people in our own backyard to show them that: “they’re” wrong, “they” lose, let’s teach “them” a lesson. Well, this isn’t an occupied territory gained in war. We live here, and we have to pick up the mess if we fling too much mud at each other. We’ll have to continue to live and work WITH one another when the last ballot is counted and results are announced.
I am so tired of partisan bickering here about these two fine candidates! Beepbeep, enough with the “liberals this” and “liberals that.” Painting Skorman with the brush of his most outspoken supporters who are further to the left than the rest of us, has no merit. Bach’s supporters who lean way too far to the right are just as scary—and have just as little to do with their favored candidate. And I have no patience for excessive Bach-bashing either. Bach and Skorman are both good men, and both would do a decent job as Mayor. ‘Liberal’ and ‘conservative’ matter a great deal more in national politics than here at home. A good mayor should almost by definition behave in a fairly non-partisan way. Be an ethical leader, be a responsible leader, be an inclusive leader who cares about the whole community, keep the streetlights on, and try your best to attract jobs and support others who do the same, and you’re golden. Leaning too far to the right or the left just gets in the way.
Good luck, Richard!! You’d be an AWESOME Mayor. You would definitely prove that the alarmism from your critics is unfounded, because you would do an amazing job for all of us.
Mr. Bach, if you win, I won’t follow “Bob’s” example, above, and pick up and move away! I’ll congratulate you and be one of many people who will wish you the best and be willing to help out. I sure as heck wouldn’t want you to fail if you are elected.
What’s the big deal? It’s a political fundraiser, so they wouldn’t make much if they charged $5 a head. I’m not a rich person but $200 a person doesn’t sound like that much. I assume Richard Skorman has had fundraisers. Why weren’t tongues wagging about those? And I’m sure Skorman has gotten some sizable donations from people other than the Indy publisher and the police union.
So whose tongues are wagging? Besides, that is, Skorman supporters in the Gazette newsroom and among people posting here.
The Colorado Springs way – Republician, Conservative, Tea Party Supporter, Anti Tax, Lots of Money. That has and will continue to dominate El Paso and Colorado Springs politics until the infrastructure and services are totally gone and voters will wake up and say “What Happened?”.
Damn beepbeep, you scary!
I truly believe if Steve Bach becomes Mayor we are going to have more urban sprawl funded with taxpayer money. This is what these guys do and so many of the citizens of Colorado Springs don’t get it.
Everyone complains about taxes if they are used for social programs but it seems there is no problem lining the pockets of the developers and commercial real estate brokers.
Downtown is going to suffer, older existing home values are going to suffer, small business is going to suffer and the big boys are going to get richer. Keep on promoting hate for gays, immigrants and the poor. Very sad indeed.
Hey beepbeep is Skorman living in a house in the Broadmoor valued over a half mill supposed to impress us? Sounds like he is living in a dump. Most homes there go for much more.