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Quote of the Day

May 20th, 2011, 10:38 am by

“Well, like my Grandma used to say, ‘It takes two to tango.’ From what I have read, both men need to grow up.”

– Mark Shellhammer wrote today in the City Desk blog about the ongoing dispute between Jeff Crank and John Weiss.

Crank is a radio personality on KVOR and the state director of Americans for Prosperity, which clogged the airwaves with television and radio ads that portrayed losing mayoral candidate Richard Skorman as a tax-and-spend liberal.

Weiss is the publisher of the Indy. Weiss took a leave of absence to work on Skorman’s campaign. After election results were announced Tuesday night, Weiss called KVOR and asked Crank to reveal his donors.

“He has not said where this money came from,” Weiss said on the radio. “Now that the election (is) over, as part of the healing process, would he say, ‘Hey, I got this money from local people. I got it from national groups. I got it from the Ku Klux Klan.’ We don’t know where he got this money, where he spent it.”

Crank demanded an apology from Weiss over the KKK comment. Weiss said his comments were heated and a tad over the top, but he didn’t apologize.

Posted in: Elections • • • • • • | 4 Comments »

Tensions mount over Ku Klux Klan comment

May 20th, 2011, 9:24 am by

Jeff Crank

The beginning of the end of the world is supposed to be tomorrow.

But conservative radio host Jeff Crank and Indy Publisher John Weiss are still going at it over “heated” comments that Weiss made on the radio Tuesday night.

Weiss, who worked on mayoral candidate Richard Skorman’s campaign, questioned whether a barrage of television and radio ads funded by Americans for Prosperity were funded by the Ku Klux Klan since Crank, who is the group’s state director, hasn’t revealed exactly where the money came from.

Crank demanded an apology from Weiss, who basically told Crank to go pound sand.

Just before 10 a.m., Crank sent an email to Weiss — and the City Desk blog — stating that Weiss “doesn’t have the decency to understand that this comments” were offensive to the members of AFP.

“John Weiss should have the decency to apologize to the members of Americans for Prosperity for his implication that they might be connected to the Ku Klux Klan,” Crank wrote in the email.

“If he can’t apologize to them, it shows a lack of character on his part and demonstrates the intolerance that he so often claims belongs to those with whom he disagrees,” he wrote.

Here’s the full text of Crank’s email to Weiss:

Unfortunately, John Weiss doesn’t have the decency to understand that his comments about Americans for Prosperity and the KKK were offensive to the 48,000 people who are Colorado members of Americans for Prosperity.  He should apologize to them for the implication.  John continues to repeat lies and untruths about the AFP ads.  Throughout the last month I have repeatedly asked John Weiss and Richard Skorman to provide specific examples of how these ads were untrue.  The silence has been deafening, and again, John makes no reference to how the ads which targeted Mr. Skorman’s record – not him personally -were untrue.  He can’t because they were true.

John’s comparison between the Christian Coalition mail that was run against me and the AFP issue ads doesn’t hold water.  One big difference between them: the truth.  The Christian Coalition ads run against me were untrue – by saying that I had personally endorsed Richard Skorman – something I had not, and would not, do.  The AFP ads are well sourced and accurate.

Finally, I have explained that these ads are legally defined as issue advocacy.  I have repeatedly made the point that the ads were funded with general support to Americans from Prosperity by freedom loving members throughout Colorado.  None of the funds used were from outside the state, yet John continues to make unfounded accusations.  The city clerk, the city attorney and AFP legal counsel have all indicated that there is no need to file any reports with the city of Colorado Springs.  In addition, the city has no form on which AFP could file for issue advocacy ads.  Conversely, the Colorado Springs Police Protective Association, which ran direct advocacy radio ads asking citizens to vote for Richard Skorman has filed no reports with the city of Colorado Springs despite the requirement to do so.  Any fair reporter – not interested in just smearing someone they disagree with – would report on the fact that the PPA has not filed the necessary reports.  But then, John Weiss, publisher of the Colorado Springs Independent, doesn’t appear to be a fair, impartial reporter.

John Weiss should have the decency to apologize to the members of Americans for Prosperity for his implication that they might be connected to the Ku Klux Klan.  If he can’t apologize to them, it shows a lack of character on his part and demonstrates the intolerance that he so often claims belongs to those with whom he disagrees.

Jeff

Posted in: Elections • Etc. • • • • • | 21 Comments »

Crank ‘unfairly smeared and distorted’ Skorman’s record, Weiss says

May 19th, 2011, 9:06 pm by

John Weiss/Photo by Cayton Photography

John Weiss, publisher of the Colorado Springs Independent, issued the following statement in response to Jeff Crank’s demands for an apology over Weiss’ comments on the radio Tuesday night.

Here is the full text of Weiss’ statement:

For a man who throws around lots of mud, Jeff Crank certainly has very thin skin.

Yes, my analogy was a tad over the top. While driving home last Tuesday night I heard Crank gloating on the radio about the election results. I called KVOR-AM to point out that Crank’s shadowy front group, Americans for Prosperity (for millionaires and billionaires), had just used Joe McCarthy-like tactics to flood the local airways with a $100,000 ad buy that unfairly smeared and distorted the record of a great man, Richard Skorman.

My comments, while heated, were 100% factually accurate. Why do I call Jeff Crank’s group shadowy? Because Jeff Crank’s refuses to inform the public where he gets his money.  Obviously, the people funding Jeff Crank do not want it known that they are spending big bucks to influence Colorado Springs elections. Thus, he runs a shadowy front group.

For all we know, Crank could have gotten money from a group who did not want a human rights do-gooder elected in Colorado Springs?  Or perhaps the billionaire Koch brothers?  Was he funded by Doug Bruce? Or some corporation seeking a mayor who might want to privatize Memorial Hospital?

As the great economist Milton Friedman stated: “He who pays the piper, call the tune.”

Who paid Crank to do their dirty work – and why is still wanting to hide who paid for his ads?

People of good will, of all political stripes, must challenge Crank to let the public know who paid for his attack ads. For if we remain silent, then this practice will expand in future local election cycles.  And that will be a sad state of affairs for the citizens of Colorado Springs.

This election is over. Like everyone from the Skorman campaign, I wish Mayor-elect Bach the very best. And I pledge to do my very best to help him move our city forward.

One last comment about Jeff Crank. When he ran for Congress, he vehemently denounced the very same independent expenditure committee ads paid for by secret out-of-state money. These TV, radio and print ads, paid for by now Congressman Doug Lamborn supporters, actually accused Crank of being a homo-loving, big taxer. No lie.  Now Crank turns around and uses the same tactics he once publicly deplored.

Jeff Crank is a hypocrite.

John Weiss
Publisher
Colorado Springs Independent

Posted in: Elections • Etc. • • • • • | 7 Comments »

Crank demands apology from Weiss over Ku Klux Klan comment

May 19th, 2011, 10:20 am by

Conservative radio host Jeff Crank is demanding an apology from Indy publisher John Weiss, who questioned Tuesday whether Crank’s television and radio ads against mayoral candidate Richard Skorman were funded by the Ku Klux Klan.

Weiss was making a rhetorical point rather than accusing Crank of being backed by the KKK.

Still, Crank said Weiss’ comments were out of line.

“His rhetoric was uncalled for and beyond the bounds of civil discourse,” Crank said.

Crank is calling on Weiss to apologize to the members of Americans for Prosperity, a Republican advocacy organization that spent about $100,000 in TV and radio ads that portrayed Skorman as a tax-and-spend liberal. Crank is the group’s Colorado director.

After election results were revealed Tuesday, Weiss, who took a leave of absence from the Indy to work on Skorman’s campaign, called KVOR while Crank was on the air.

“I have a question for Jeff Crank,” Weiss said on KVOR.

“He has not said where this money came from. Now that the election (is) over, as part of the healing process, would he say, ‘Hey, I got this money from local people. I got it from national groups. I got it from the Ku Klux Klan.’ We don’t know where he got this money, where he spent it. Everyone else reported it.”

Crank said he’s already disclosed where he got the money.

“I have explained to (Weiss) and to others that AFP’s issue ads were funded by general revenue from AFP Colorado,” he said.

“Not only are we not supposed to file paperwork with the city clerk because it is an issue ad there is no form that the city has for AFP to file on,” Crank added. “The City Clerk’s Office has confirmed three months ago and again last week that there is no paperwork that AFP needs to file. The City Attorney’s Office confirmed as well. I have been very up front that we spent $100,000 on radio and television for the ad.”

Weiss is in a meeting but said he would call back to comment.

Crank called Weiss’ comment about the Ku Klux Klan “despicable.”

“Now, if a conservative had said such a thing, there would be mounting pressure for an apology and for John Weiss to step down or be reprimanded in some way,” Crank said.  “His behavior was not just out of line but pathetic.”

To listen to the comments on KVOR on Tuesday night, click here.

Posted in: Elections • Etc. • • • • | 41 Comments »