April 04, 2006 08:00 AM UTC

Double-O Silly

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• by: Colorado Pols

We almost missed this little ditty from the Rocky Mountain News on Saturday. It’s hard to argue that the pictures weren’t being taken for opposition mailings, as Peter Blake indicates, and there’s nothing wrong with taking?pictures in a public place.?But you’d think that “photographer” Cameron Lynch might have at least tried to be inconspicuous. It’s hard not to notice the guy crouched on the floor peering through the railings.

During debate in the House chamber Thursday evening, someone seemed to be going to great pains not to be noticed while taking pictures of Democrats from the gallery.

News reporter Lynn Bartels went upstairs to explore. She found Cameron Lynch, legislative director of the Colorado Republican Party, crouched on the floor, shooting through the railing with a telephoto lens.

“They said someone was up her shooting pictures of Democrats,” she said. He replied, “I’m only taking pictures of Republicans.”

He offered to show her recent shots in the digital camera. There was in fact one of Bill Crane, R-Arvada, and another of David Balmer, R-Centennial.

But the other three shots that popped up were of Gwyn Green, D-Golden; Morgan Carroll, D-Aurora, and Debbie Benefield, D-Arvada. All occupy seats being targeted by Republicans this year.

Asked about the discrepancy, Lynch told Bartels, “I’m correcting myself.”

It’s not illegal to take pictures from the gallery. Look for the Democratic pictures to appear in negative brochures sometime this fall.

Lynch was unavailable for further comment Friday, but Hans Gullickson, executive director of the state GOP, deadpanned: “I don’t know if he was scrapbooking or doing it for campaigns.”