According to the filing paperwork with the state of Colorado, a new independent expenditure committee (AVV referred to it originally as a political action committee in this first reference, but in lower case letters, not as an official PAC) has been set up in Chaffee County. It is called the “Honesty in Chaffee County Under Protest” committee.
Its stated purpose: it exists as “an independent expenditure committee” to support two independent candidates who have announced they are seeking county offices. (We quote: “An independent expenditure committee to support Chaffee County candidates Adriane Kuhn for county commissioner and Elaine Allelmang for Chaffee County Clerk and Recorder.”)
- Kuhn pulled a petition back in June to run for county commissioner
- Elaine Allemang has announced to run for county clerk and recorder
Image of private voting booths. Photo Courtesy of KSHB.
Filed on August 2, the committee seems set to run a candidate against incumbent Democrat; Chaffee Clerk and Recorder Lori Mitchell, who has no Republican opposition.
But it may also act as some sort of spoiler against the two candidates for Chaffee County Commissioner already declared from the two major political parties: Democrat P.T. Wood and Republican Brandon Becker.
The registered agent of this committee is Jerry Raski, and the designated filing agent is his wife Judith Raski. Because the committee was not set up until August, the first fundraising reporting period at which we will get some idea of funds raised ends October 13, 2022, with a report due to the state by October. 18, 2022, just prior to the Nov. 8 General Election.
Interestingly enough, the website listed as the mouthpiece of the “Honesty in Chaffee County Under Protest” committee is the site known as Discourse.chaffeespeaks.com which says that it offers:
“uncensored (within decorum) views and discussions that you won’t find in the Ark Valley Voice, the Mountain Mail, and the Chaffee County Times. Discourse allows participants to find discussions of the politics and events occurring within Chaffee County and beyond.”
Ark Valley Voice is not sure what “uncensored” means in this context, but over time it has been observed that much of what is there does not appear to have much to do with truth or facts. Instead, it appears to focus mostly on opinions, and “unsubstantiated facts” (what AVV refers to as disinformation.)
Discourse, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary as a verb means “the interchange of ideas, especially a conversation.” And second, it means the “formal and orderly and usually extended expression of thought on a subject”.
The website goes on to stress that ” anyone interested in participating in this forum can sign up to the site with an email address and remain anonymous.” They are correct that AVV requires commenters to provide their name and resident address.
To be fair, there are some truths scattered in the comments. But in some cases, the meaning of some of those facts appears to be misinterpreted. Topics are the latest controversies: cancel culture, autoimmune response to COVID, the “Suzanne Morphew “mystery,” and “How did Colorado elections become so corrupt” (we didn’t know they were and upon checking, AVV can confirm — they aren’t.)
Then there was this one: Just Asking: Where are the Congressional Hearings and Arrests for the other “Insurrection”? which is full of inaccuracies, and finally, there is a trove of pro-Russian, anti-Ukrainian cartoons and claims, but most of them are from more than a year ago before the Russian invasion, so that’s interesting.
Editor’s note: AVV thinks opinions are fine, as long as they are labeled as such. As long as those opinions are based on actual facts, AVV welcomes them in letters to the editor. People don’t have to agree; sometimes it is enough to agree that two or more people can disagree, respectfully. But here’s the thing; those who don’t believe enough in their convictions to attach their name to them; are they in fact brave enough to stand up for them, or do they just want to — pardon our French on this — bitch?
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