After a legal complaint was filed against the campaign of U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn, the case wound up at the doorstep of Pueblo District Attorney Bill Thiebaut, who was assigned to look into it by the Colorado District Attorneys’ Council. The thing is, the pair have a history. Thiebaut is a solid Democrat, Lamborn is a solid Republican, and both of them served in the state Legislature together.
That gives rise to the question of whether Thiebaut has a conflict of interest on the case. But former colleagues say it won’t be a problem, but the two spent eight years on opposite sides of the political fence in the Capitol.
And Tom Raynes, executive director of the Colorado District Attorneys’ Council, said Thiebaut was automatically given the case under a sort of informal agreement at the CDAC that El Paso conflict of interest cases are always sent to Pueblo.
The complaint against Lamborn’s campaign alleges it may have broken the law by bad-mouthing a bank that was co-founded by the congressman’s Republican primary opponent, businessman Robert Blaha. The complaint cites a law that makes it illegal to criticize a bank without good cause, and Lamborn ad called the bank “one of the worst in the region.”
But www.bankrate.com, which the campaign cites as a source, says that as of December, the bank is in a “generally satisfactory condition.”
The establishment, Integrity Bank and Trust, wrote to Lamborn’s campaign last month to ask them to take the ad down from the Internet. When the campaign didn’t comply, a Blaha supporter filed the complaint with El Paso County District Attorney Dan May, of the Fourth Judicial District.
Because May has endorsed Lamborn in the past, he forwarded the complaint to the Colorado District Attorneys’ Council, which then handed it to Thiebaut.
Thiebaut, however, served in the Legislature for eight years alongside Lamborn. From 1995 to 1998, Lamborn was in the state House of Representatives while Thiebaut was in the Senate, and from 1998 to 2002, both were in the Senate.
The pair were as opposite as could be, said several colleagues who served in the Senate at the same time.
“Bill was probably the furthest member of the Senate on the left side and Doug was the furthest to the right,” said former state Sen. Mike Feeley, D-Lakewood. “They disagreed on about everything.”
Former senator Norma Anderson, R-Lakewood, agreed with her Democratic colleague. But she also said there was never any real ill will between the pair.
“I never found either one of them vindictive. They took their losses and went on. But as far as their philosophies, they’re as different as they could be,” Anderson said. “I don’t remember any angry outbursts or anything like that.”
Lamborn spokeswoman Catherine Mortensen said the congressman isn’t worried over the possibility that his political history with Thiebaut may taint the investigation.
“I’m sure that Mr. Thiebaut is fair, and he’ll throw this out,” Mortensen said.
Thiebaut said he’ll approach Lamborn’s case the same way he would any other — dispassionately.
“That was then and this is now, and I have no relationship, and there’s nothing there that I think would rise to the level of conflict of interest,” Thiebaut said. “If there’s probable cause to believe a crime has been committed, then charges will be filed. If not, then charges won’t be filed. I think he knows I’m a man of my word.”
Feeley added that he thinks Lamborn got lucky when Thiebaut was assigned to the case, because he’s big on free speech. Which means, he said, that Thiebaut is more likely than some other district attorneys to toss the case.
“If anything, he caught a break,” Feeley said.
LOL…..where is the problem?
Lamborn has nothing to worry about as long as he is honest and forthright…oh wait.
I have not seen anything about bankrate,com’s rating on Lamborn’s campaign site; he does reference A Colorado Springs Business Journal report from 2010 and Bauer Financial’s rating. If he wanted a worse one, he could cite Weiss Research’s (www.weissratings.com); Weiss just downgraded Integrity from a “D” to a “D-.”
Rep. Lamborn’s use of the bank’s rating is NOT to attack/disparage the bank, per se; it’s part of his legitimate refutation of Blaha’s assertion that he is an “expert” businessman/leader. (Lamborn also uses Tournament Gold/Attendeez, Alpha Security Group, and USA Boxing to show that Blaha’s claim is highly suspicious, at best (and downright invalid, at worst).
Blaha has never held elected (public) office, so voters have nothing other than his business performance/record by which to assess his fitness to be a Congressman. (Co-workers’, friends’, and family endorsements don’t really count.) I have discovered, as did Lamborn, that either (1) Blaha’s business record is not as exemplary as he’d like voters to believe or (2) he really wasn’t intimately involved in troubled businesses, yet went ahead and maintained/touted his various titles (“Executive Vice President,” “Director,” “Chief Management Officer”) with them for some reason (perhaps to impress potential clients and now voters?).
Instead of assailing Lamborn and his record and promoting his (self-proclaimed) talents as an “articulate spokesman” and business guru, perhaps Blaha should talk about what he’d actually do differently–e.g., what specific, unique legislation he’d introduce.
typical!!!! our whole system is corrupt. Everyone has each others back and the new guy gets screwed. Lamborn broke the law plain and simple. It’s a shame how messed up our government is. If Blaha doesn’t get in…then we are going downhill fast from here.
Lamborn, being a career polititician, is responsible for what is wrong with this country. We know for a fact that he is compromised or he would have been concerned for the welfare of our children instead of covering up for pedophile rapists. Google Columbine family request. Also you tube and live leak . Lamborn knows what our investigation of the Columbine tragedy exposes. The shooters were raped during an arrest several months before the tragedy. Lamborn chose to refuse a meeting with Columbine victim families after reviewing this website. Columbine survivor Mark Taylor was illegally abducted and drugged in Colorado Springs because he was reporting this. Lamborn is responsible when a kid blows up a school copycating the lie that Columbine was about hallway harassment. It almost happened at Isaac Newton middle school when a 13 year old built a bomb to plant under the jocks table. This lie must stop and the truth must be told and those responsible for covering this up must be prosecuted. We have learned that our government only protects itself even at the cost of our children’s lives.
Go to hell Lamborn. You are evil.
columbinefamilyrequest.org
Columbine Family: Littleton (Columbine) is in the *6th* Congressional District. Lamborn’s is the *5th*. Contact Mike Coffman’s office. Your “go to hell” comment was out of line.
Joan,
You sound like a typical political hack. Mark Taylor was abducted illegally in Colorado Springs. Mark and his mother Donna are constituents in the 5th congressional district. We are concerned with ALL of America’s children. Aren’t you? If you need a tragedy in Lamborn’s district, let’s discuss the Platte Canyon Tragedy. Did you know that the School resource officer was getting girls pregnant which provoked the gunman who was an estranged father? Yes, both of Colorado’s deadliest school shootings were the result of sexual assaults on our children by L.E. officers. It is people like you who tolerate this perversion.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15032063/
WHOA, Columbine Family…wee bit over the top? I do not “tolerate perversion.” What has COFFMAN done? (And YOU sound like a person in extreme need of anger management therapy.)
Why haven’t your allegations (about law enforcement officers) been more widely reported? Why haven’t charges been brought? (What does the JeffCo D.A.’s office say?)
Looks like Lamborn and his team may have a day in court. That’s just funny and sad at the same time. Blaha will get my vote.
The charge will be dismissed. For one, it’s essentially true. Lamborn cited the COS Business Journal; the grade was figure was from 2010. CURRENT (as of Dec. 2011) ratings, from several ratings entities (Bauer Financial, BankVega, Weiss Ratings) ALL have Integrity pegged at BELOW AVERAGE; Weiss, in fact, just this month downgraded Integrity Bank from D to a D-. Blaha is the one harming the bank by drawing attention to the Lamborn ad. Anyone can go to the websites I mentioned and look up the grade/rating they have given Integrity. In order for the charge to be actionable, Integrity/Blaha will have to show that the bank lost deposits/customers because of it (Lamborn’s ad), specifically (i.e., not because of the numerous other low ratings). Blaha will also have to demonstrate there was *intent* to harm the bank; there was not. The intent was to show that Blaha is not the business genius he purports to be, nothing more.
Lamborn gets my vote, not simply because he’s done a good job and is a PROVEN conservative, but because I find him to be fundamentally more honest (and a heck of a lot classier, after watching him on “GTV” this morning.)
Joan,
In your last post to us, you now sound like a political neophite. You ask ,”What does the Jeffco D.A. have to say?”. Why not ask what ex Attorney General Ken Salazar have to say? or ex Pres. Clinton? They all know this because we have discussed this information with them. They are the lead architects of the Cover up. They threw Ritter into our faces to spin the lie about hallway harassment. They all cover up for pedophile rapists. Why wouldn’t Lamborn want to expose them? We have knowledge that Obama is also covering this up. Attorney General Suthers also is informed. He just let Sheriff Pat Sullivan slip through the system with a slap on the wrist. As for my needing anger management? Why don’t you get a little angry over what they are doing to our children? If you knew as much as we have learned, you would be pissed off too. Tell your buddy Lamborn that it isn’t too late to redeem his soul. Unfortunately, it is too late to peel the Columbine tarbaby off. It is stuck to him firmly. He was warned and yet he did the wrong thing. He should have done what we asked and stuck the tarbaby onto Obama. Live and learn.
http://www.veteranstoday.com/2011/11/30/meth-for-sex-arrest-of-colorado-vip-highlights-power-of-alternative-media/
Joan,
If you still think this belongs on the local level, realize that the illustrious presidents men, the secret service, (you know them for their conduct in Columbia) came to Columbine to profile the shooters. They have gone on to spin the lie about school bullying being the root of all evil. The School resource officer at Platte canyon High SChool who was AWOL and was getting girls pregnant (a sexual predator) has gone on to win a national school safety award.
http://www.cbsnews.com/2100-500164_162-509196.html
http://www.schoolsafety911.org/news.html
Joan-I want some of whatever you are on. You watched Lamborn and were impressed? Good God. The guy has the personality of a wombat. I took three showers and I still couldn’t rinse of the slimly sleaze that pours out of his persona. Perhaps that’s what you are in to? To each his own.
Joan-I agree with 303. What are you smokin’?
I’ve not seen you acknowledge any potential error or slant of Mr. Lamborn’s or any potential good or possitive element that Mr. Blaha might bring to the battle field. It’s obvious you are put here to just try and sway voters to your man and your man alone – at any cost. I have seen some possitive comments about Mr. Lamborn from the other side though. At least they acknowledge some possitive items of Mr. Lamborn’s while explaining why they want change.
You’re not doing this with any grace with your insensitive manner. I think you are pushing people away from your guy and into the Blaha camp. Mr. Blaha has all our votes over here.