September 26, 2012 03:37 AM UTC

Republican "Rising Star" Has Money for Republican Party, None for Taxes

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• by: ProgressiveCowgirl

Remember the Republican first-time candidate, Brian Watson, who implicitly called one of Colorado’s most beloved statesmen a jackass on his mailer–and managed to make a grammatical error, too?

Well, maybe he couldn’t afford the extra e to spell “asses,” because it turns out Watson’s in debt, deep, to the second-worst folks to be indebted to, after the Mob. He owes $279,000 in taxes, according to KVDR’s Eli Stokols.

Watson, who often cites his business ownership as an asset in the tight HD3 race, blames mismanagement of a business he purchased for his tax woes. In a letter to investors in Aspen Moving and Storage (accountable for nearly $150K of the debt), Watson cited the purchase of that company as an investment he now wishes he hadn’t made.

Frank McNulty, desperate to hold onto the Speaker’s gavel, defended Watson and attempted to spin his nearly $280K tax debt as a positive:

“Compare that to Daniel Kagan who hasn’t earned a dime in his own life, who has investments offshore,” McNulty told FOX31 Denver, perhaps in a preview of attacks to come from Watson’s campaign.

“I think the contrast bodes well for Watson to represent that district because he actually knows the struggles his constituents are going through.”

“The Speaker’s accusations ring hollow, as usual,” said House Minority Leader Mark Ferrandino, D-Denver, who noted that Kagan saved his parents’ textile company and managed it for 10 years.

Actually, Mr. Speaker, I’d imagine that very few of Watson’s prospective constituents own multiple properties on which they’ve failed to pay more than $279,000 in taxes. The luxury of buying a business, ignoring your tax debt, and explaining it all to your investors in an email blaming mismanagement (when you own the company!) isn’t one that’s open to most of the 99%.

Maybe if Watson’s elected, although it hardly seems likely, he can arrange for the piddly salary and per diem paid to state representatives to go straight back to the Colorado treasury?

Of course, it’s hardly likely that Watson would prioritize his spending that way, considering how he’s using his corporate cash while the $279,000 tax debt looms overhead:

Despite the debts, Watson’s company, Northstar Commercial Partners, made a political contribution, a $500 donation to the Colorado Republican Party on April 27, 2012, which FOX31 Denver found by doing a simple search on the Secretary of State’s TRACER website.

Brian Watson: Can’t pay his taxes, but can cut a check to the Colorado Republican Party. Some rising star, Repubs.