Last week, state Rep. Morgan Carroll (D-Aurora) opined on the Trailhead Group, a Republican 527 organization that is currently facing multiple complaints over monetary discrepancies first reported by Colorado Confidential.
On Square State, a local political blog, Carroll wrote that “Trailhead by any other name is still a Trail of Lies.” Colorado Confidential asked Carroll about her views on the Trailhead Group, and other campaign finance issues.
A: It is important to me that we do everything we can to follow the money (and follow the dirt) for those who would distort and corrupt the political process and its outcomes. I believe that the blogging community has been some of the best watchdogs on doing research and holding the liars accountable. I want people to know their new name Coloradans for Justice and any other attempt they make to wiggle out of their own wretched history of deceit. Most people who hear their ads will NOT know they are lies. I want to help arm the general public before elections on where and how to get real information about voting records and candidate positions and to realize that virtually nothing these people do is truthful or accurate — including their reporting or accounting.
Q: What has your personal experience been with the Trailhead Group?
A: I have had some experience with Trailhead but they have actually been even worse to some other candidates. They sent buffoons to the capitol during legislative session trying to capture unflattering photos of us while burning the midnight oil. It really wouldn’t be hard. When busted by Lynn Bartels with the Rocky they said they were “taking photos of Republicans”. When they showed her the photos they happened to be of me, Debbie Benefield and Gwyn Green — and last I checked we were Democrats.
Trailhead then followed up with something like three robo-calls attacking me to voters in my district. (It’s been awhile and rather a blur now.) The GOP did one too — awfully similar.
I received public opinion surveys from my constituents, disclosed the source and value beyond what state law even requires. They said I took cash from secret donors and failed to disclose it.
Big difference. They hit with this same basic lie multiple times. Further, although I’m sure there was no coordination, the Colorado Republican Party then picked up the theme and sued me to try to force me to disclose the confidential opinions of my constituents who shared their opinions with me. If they really cared about public opinion they should just do their own survey. They are so desperate to smear us as candidates that they don’t even care if they further violate citizen’s privacy or confidentiality rights in the process.
Q: After you were targeted by Trailhead to be the subject of robotic telephone calls, was there any action taken against the group at that point? If so, what was it?
A: I asked for Attorney General John Suthers and District Attorney Carol Chambers to investigate and file charges and prosecute them for recklessly putting out false information about a candidate under C.R.S.
