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June 06, 2006 08:00 AM UTC

Holtzman: Let a Judge Decide

  • 76 Comments
  • by: Colorado Pols

Republican (sort of) gubernatorial candidate?Marc Holtzman held a press conference today to announce his campaign’s response to last week’s?news that he did not gather enough petition signatures to make the primary ballot. From The Denver Channel:

Embattled GOP gubernatorial candidate Marc Holtzman said Tuesday a judge will have to decide whether he gets into the August primary, but he stopped short of saying he would file a lawsuit or seek a court order.

?

Secretary of State Gigi Dennis ruled last week that Holtzman failed to gather enough valid signatures to be on the primary ballot. Holtzman insisted Tuesday he had enough signatures but said state law bars Dennis from reviewing her own work.

?

“I think the courts are the only forum that have the jurisdiction to resolve this issue,” said Bob Gould, Holtzman’s campaign manager…

…Gould said Dennis’ office cost the campaign valuable time because officials failed to give them all the information they needed. Dennis spokeswoman Dana Williams did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment.

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76 thoughts on “Holtzman: Let a Judge Decide”

  1. Is the irony of situation apparent to anyone else?  Yet another Republican who yaps on and on about “tort reform” is off to the courts just as soon as something doesn’t go the way they would prefer.

    Don’t get me wrong, I hope he prevails—but I felt the need to point out this disconnect….

  3. Marc clearly doesn’t have the signatures or he would have shown the Sec. of State her “errors”…by foregoing that legal opportunity and going directly to the courts Marc shows the weakness of the hand he is playing.

  5. Coloradem, there’s precedent for a GOP candidate who was a spoiled rich kid turned middled-aged man and who constantly ranted about “FRIVOLOUS LAWSUITS” and then sued his opponent to win the White House in court.

  7. Once again Holtzman’s crack campaign staff wants to lay their lack of performance on someone else. Knowing they were going to have to go the route of petition, due to his lack of overall support, legimate campaign professionals whould research the process fully. To lay the blame on a lack of information provided by a third party shows how inexperienced and incompetent they are. In fact, incomptence seems to be the hallmark of the Holtzman campaign.

    Another thought, firing a campaing manager for lying to the press and giving him a $30K send off, now that tells us a lot about the kind of manager Mr. Holtzman is. Trust him with a single tax dollar??? Not a chance!!!

    Run, Marc, run!!!! Your 15 minutes of fame is about over!!!! I can’t remember the last time I was this embarrassed by a Republican candidate. If he makes the November ballot, I’ll be sporting the campaing sign of a Democratic candidate on my property for the first time in more than thirty years. Run, Marc, run!!!

  9. Which only goes to show that liberals STILL haven’t gotten over the fact that Algore lost.

    This is especially important, given the fact that the Florida recounts would never have been requested by Algore, if he’d only won his home state of Tennessee.

  10. I thought that the Holtzman campaign had hired some ‘experts’ to comb through the signatures to point out the errors made by the SoS?

    What became of that effort?

  11. Some people like to throw around words like principled…and conservative…poop-dang boy let me tell you a little something about that.

    I want the nomination of the party without ever so much as having to reach out to people outside of the Republican Party Elite’s rolodex.

    Damn that Holtzman for making me do more than what I wanted to do.

  12. So Gore lost his home state.  So did Bush.  Connecticut, where Bush was born and spent part of his childhood and to which he returned for college at Yale, went for Gore/Lieberman.  Shrub did win his adopted home state of Texas, although the most recent polls show he would lose even Texas today…..his approval numbers still exceed his disapproval numbers in exactly three states now:  Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming.

  15. Dead Governors: I thought you were no longer allowing for personal attacks? I thought you said you would be moderating the posts more? I thought you were trying to elevate the posts to political discussions and debate?

  18. I like when my staff defends me on Coloradopols. That is prinicpled…conservative…proven…Colorado…dairy farm…Claudia…cows…milk…milk-like products….milk like accessories…Colorado…values.

    Colorado, Colorado, Colorado, Colorado, Colorado, I have endorsements, Colorado, Colorado, Colorado, lots of endorsements, Colorado, Colorado, your mom endorsed me, Colorado, Colorado

  19. Personal attacks are only allowed if they are made against Laura, and furthermore there is to be no personal attack made based on factual evidence involving Bob beauprez’s record, his personal character or his son in law. Those kind of attacks are just mean. This is not the time to look into facts. Pointing out facts is the kind of thing that brings this party down. We need to move past the facts and unite together under a principled proven conservative vision for the future.

  20. All this talk of principled proven conservatism makes me want to go out and sue someone. Wait, I am busy, I will have someone else do it.

  21. BB and GG sittin in a tree, throwin out signatures from Marc Holtzy, first comes gessler then comes durham then comes GiGi in the Lt. Governors office.

    I know that doesn’t rhyme, but I still think it is funny.

  22. well, when people have the wrong idea of one’s identity…there is nothing to wonder but why they the holtzman campaign is going to hell.

  23. We do monitor the comments for personal attacks and remove them when we see them, but nobody sits in front of the screen reading every comment as it comes in. We can’t moderate comments in real time.

    Now…since some of you continue to throw out the same personal attacks, we’re just going to make it easy: Make a personal attack on someone, get banned from commenting. Period. We’ll start a Colorado Pols for third graders in a few weeks, and you can go comment there.

  24. You should sue them one street wonder, or get someone else to do it, you would not want to do it yourself because that would look bad. But deffinitely sue them.

  25. All of this infighting is hurting the political process and the republican party. I think it would be smart for the Holtzman campaign to give up the meaningless garbage and the a true leader, Bob Beauprez lead the Republican party into 2007.

  28. “All of this infighting” IS the political process.

    It’s always interesting to see who is afraid of that process and who is not.  It tells you a lot about where they really stand.

  29. brains- most republicans have realized your previous statement…that doesnt mean mark holtzman and his pennslyvania way of thinking wont keep this going in Goresque campaign cour battles.

  30. i will go ahead and apologize to laura, despite my personal feelings for her, and despite thing she has said to people i like and care very much about, i will apologize. I dont expect the same from her, but i guess i will take the high road. This will be the last post from me- one street wonder.

  31. This is Leo.

    First off, this is the id I post on publically.  I have a few requests.  First, even though “who is leo?” posted in my favor, I would appreciate it if both that post and this were deleted.

  32. I think I’ll get Gessler to tell the press that we’re going to toss thousands of signatures. Then when that looks bad in the press we can get Mike Norton to sue to get ALL of the signatures tossed on behalf of “concerned citizens.” That’s how you win an election. Maybe I could sue BIll RItter and somehow get rid of him…

  33. P. VENKMAN-

    I appreciate you telling to sue but I don’t think that’s necessary.  I would appreciate for the use of my name publically to stop.

  34. hey one street wonder – RE: Laura (a.k.a. Redhawk)

    I believe you and I both agree.  An apology was the right thing, airing personal issues in a public place was out of line. 

    But let me pose this question to the community of politicos – Why do so many people feel that trashing Laura is the thing to do on this website?  Maybe it’s because one street is right, Laura has said so many negative things about so many different people involved in Colorado politics over the past few years.

    Laura isn’t a good person and she doesn’t even pretend to be.  Laura is about herself and doesn’t care who she hurts.  She has lost many friend for petty reasons – mostly because she is ignorant.

    One word for anyone thinking about being her friend or employing her -profligate

    note to the dead govs – if you must ban me for a negative post – do as you must – but all you can do is block my ip – which i can easily change.  Just ask Laura how.

  35. We’ve been going about this all wrong. This Mr. Stay Puft is okay. He’s a sailor, he’s in New York. We get this guy laid, we won’t have any trouble.

  37. Seems to me we don’t know who posts and we don’t know who posts under multiple names again and again and again and again.  And then changes ISP’s and posts more.

  38. btw – for all you non-technical savvy people out there.  YES I’m talking to you huh?

    ISP – Internet Service Provider
    this is who supplies your internet connection to you, examples:  Comcast, Qwest

    IP – Internet Protocol
    this is your address on the internet to differentiate between you and other internet users

    So huh? – to suggest that someone changes their ISP is to suggest that they wil call Comcast, cancel their internet service, call Qwest and sign up for new service.  You sound like a dumbass.

  39. what did I tell you about posting mean things? that’s right, you can only post mean things about laura and marc. if you post mean things about beauprez or democrats, you’re in big trouble.

  41. I am reminded of a quote from ‘The Hunt For Red October’:  “This shit will get uglier and uglier and will kill us all.” 

    Or something like that.

  42. Holtzman is going to the only place that Beauprez, Owens, Benson, Dennis, etc can’t control, THE COURTS.

    Why should he go back to the SOS? Apparently she kicked out a lot of signers that should have been allowed, (for a start one House District Candidate and one County Chairman). She told a group of people at the El Paso County Lincoln’s Day Dinner that she was going to be the Lt Governor’s candidate.

    Holtzman has proved that he is no quitter. That’s the type of perrson I want as my governor.
    Face it, if you were in his shoes, been treated as he has, would you quit?

    Owens said Monday that Holtzman should respect the law and step down. What law says that? Owens needs to respect the law and let things run out as it sees fit.

  43. I can’t believe you admitted your identity, Dude. That’s supposed to be, like, confidential. Next, you’re going to be telling everyone you’re supporting Everett, intern for Beauprez, and have friends in the Tancredo Office.  It’ll be like actually posting under A REAL NAME!  OH  MY  GHHODD!!!

  45. Don’t even talk about paid informants in the beauprez campaign. Lets  be honest, when it comes to paying staff positions mh has  done for staffers what was done for him… creating positions in his staff that were just simply not needed. kind of like the position of president at DU which mh was the first and looks like last, as they have yet to hire another. I have a feeling that mh will be able to refill his own shoes at DU in the next couple of months as he will be without a job along with his supposed “staff”. The problem with a DU return is that he will be to far into his drive back to pennsylvania to worry about anything, other than his next carpetbagging campaign he plans to fund with his dads “lean mean fat grillin machine” money. My question is what state will he be in next where he can show his masterful skills in party destroying? In all truth though, he has done nothing to the right in the state other than make democrats unite against them. You think I am lying, try asking holtzmans new lawyer, he is far enough left to be a judge of liberal views. It is funny how  the line of democrats  willing to help mh resembles a friday afternoon at the DMV. The problem is that holtzman is calling there ticket numbers to help him out. But to get to the issue of Laura Teal, lets not ignore the white elephant in the room (no pun intended)she is just bad at her job. What kind of organazational director doesn’t realize the importance  of getting double the signatures in each district? You would think that with that many paid staffers, and the use of paid petitioners (7 dollars a signature) you would be able to get what you need. But she was missing two things that are important for a campaign to be successful.
    1. a good canidate
    2. ethics
    Other then that (and a lack of organazational skills), she was ready for a statewide campaign. Some quick advice Laura, spend less time on the pols gathering ip addresses and more time organazing events for your lackluster wannabe of a canidate

  48. Right On!!! Bystander.  What the big boy elitists are crying about is that their idea of the democratic process is 1) we decide who runs, 2) we decide when they run, and 3) we decide what they run for.

    This sounds more like totalitarianism than democracy.  Just an americanized version of stacking the deck for those whom we decide should be Potato Queen at this years Festival Pageant.

    Not what our founding fathers invisioned, not what they intended, and not what should happen.

    Consider this:  You are Marc Holtzman, the SOs has ruled against you. Do you?

    a) go back and attempt to show her that she is wrong? or
    b) go to the courts and have a judge rule that a law, procedure, or individual liberties was violated and have the jusge smack your hands?

    I think the later, not the former.  Afterall, how would it then look if the judge says that Bb and Gigi were involved with a little shady operation?

  49. Does anyone else see the irony in what Marky Mark is asking for?  At the same time Sen. Bill “I Saw The Video And Terri Schiavo Can Think” Frist (Fascist-Tenn.) is frothing at the mouth re:  unelected judges making major public policy decisions (i.e., legalizing same sex marriage), Maky Boy wants unelected judges deciding who gets onto the GOP primary ballot?
      And speaking of unelected judges and same sex marriage, doesn’t everyone remember last year when the elected representatives in the California legislature passed a bill legalizing same sex marriage only to see the Governator veto the bill, saying that such a decision “should be up to the courts!”

  50. What is this campaing all about?  RESENTMENT. Pure and simple.  BB, BO, BB, and company resent the fact that there is someone in the race who is more successful, has more influence, and doesn’t lay down and take it from them.  As such, the GOOD OLE BOYS resent Holtzman. 

    Hey BOYZ, there are a large number of Republicans who RESENT you.  That’s your problem and the numbers keep growing.  Just look at how the anti-establishmnet candidates are starting to fare nationwide.  Republican or Democrat, if you are an insider, the voters are going against you.  They RESENT your backroom antics locally and in Washington D.C.

  52. Does anyone else see that this is probably the best thing to ever happen to Ken Gordon. Now, not only does the Holtzman campaign think the SOS office did an insufficient job but also Mr. Norton. According to the news today he has found over 1,000 signatures accepted by the SOS that he claims should have been rejected. Good bye GiGi.

    How bad is that place, for cryin out loud. The swchwanns people have tracked me through 4 different moves at this point because i bought some ice cream from them 5 years ago, but the State of Colorado with all the resources it has cannot validate a handful of signatures. What the heck is wrong with that. Is selling ice cream more important than hholding fair and accurate elections.

    If nothing else comes from this, I think we as a state owe it to ourselves to take a long and possible dissapointing and painful look at the operations of the SOS.

  54. I never thought the day would come but I miss Vicky Buckley!!!  (Remember when she lost some of the petitions on the medical marijuana initiative because they were wedged between two draws in her desk?)

  55. I am not too sure but last night I think I saw Owens, Benson and Beauprez on the roof of the capitol building madly playing the violin and drinking wine.

  56. What happens to the balance of the money that Marc Holtzman has raised if he does not get on the primary ballot as desires? What are the legal requirements here? **Serious Replys, ONLY PLEASE! (Obviously a lot of funny one-liners could be made here, but I am asking for a serious response).

  57. Does anyone know if Dana Williams (the spokesperson for Gigi Dennis) is related to Shari Williams (the consultant/political strategist for Bob Beauprez)?

  59. He can do one of four things w/ surplus campaign funds:  1. return $$$ to contrbutors, 2. he can donate it to charity, 3. he can donate it to a political party (fat chance of this one happening!), or 4. he can use it in a future campaign of his own.

  61. Prediction: If Holtzman does file suit, it will quickly be thrown out because he “failed to exhaust his administrative remedies” by not at least TRYING to get Gigi Dennis to change her mind.

    This is so obvious that it makes you think that Holtzman’s just trying to come up with a face-saving way to leave the campaign and still be able to blame everyone else – Gigi, the judge, etc. – for his own appalling incompetence. How this guy ever helped Ronald Reagan win Pennsylvania in 1980 is beyond me. Bush ought to be hiring him to run some incredibly vital government agency or something.

    Where are those darn activist judges when you need one?

  62. Who knows if he ever helped Ronald Reagan win Pennsylvania.  Did he really hire Tom Ridge, according to the Holtzy mythology, or did Tom Ridge hire him?

  63. The rumors were on Colorado Pols last Thursday afternoon (June 1) that Holtzman did not have enough signatures to get on the Republican Primary ballot. 

    The Rocky Mountain News reported Holtzman was officially notified Thursday night that he did not have enough signatures. 

    When did Beauprez find out?  If it was earlier than Holtzman’s notification, who told him? 

    Did Gigi Dennis’ spokesperson, Dana Williams, tell her sister, Shari Williams (Beauprez’ political strategist) before Gigi notified Holtzman? 

    Who has the timeline?

  64. I think it had something to do with the mob.  You are on to something answermethis.  Conspiracy, conspiracy!

    Or, em, the more plausible explanation may be that Holtzman just flat out sucks.

  65. Marc Holtzman is wealthy and successful through venture capital efforts in eastern Europe. You are not.

    Marc Holtzman was the Executive Director of Ronald Reagan’s 1980 Presidential campaign for Pennsylvania when Holtzman was 20 years old. You were not. (Oh, Reagan won the traditionally Dem Pennsylvania.)

    Marc Holtzman was president of DU. You were not.

    Marc Holtzman stood up as the public’s main advocate against the government’s Ref. C money-grab. You did not.

    You can try to dismiss the ideas of Ronald Reagan, but you cannot. Marc Holtzman will be the next governor of Colorado.

    You will not.

  68. Sorry Tancredo Watch.  The judge will not rule against Holtzman on the administrative aspects because he/she will see that the initial proceszs for reviewing the petitions was flawed.  It is not up to Holtzman to prove that his signatures are valid, it is up to Gigi to prove that they aren’t.

    The fact that they threw out solid registered Republicans in numerous counties indicates that the process was flawed.  thus, it would not make any sense to go back to the flawed process and attempt to debate that it isn’t flawed.  It will take an independent party to review the process.

    Suggest that you go to law school and learn a little Lawyering 101.

    Remember: Very few times in Colorado history has the court upheld the SoS.  Why?  Because the process is aribitrary and copricious at best.  Rife with subjective reasoning and opinion.  Is that a chad? No. How about that one? No. How about this one? Even the U.S. Supreme Court allowed the results to stand.  BB and Company is starting to sound more and more like Algore in Florida.

    Best estimates are that if there was an honest attempt, and the court decides that the petitioners and the signatories were forthright and legitimate, and that the signors intent was to support Holtzman, the judge’s will allow the election to stand.  Too bad for Beauprez.

    As for Norton.  I thought that he was going to contest 10,000 signatures.  funny coming form a political hack and representing “unnamed Republicans.”  Can tyou say Trailhead, Steve Durham, Bruce Benson, Bill Owens, and the clan?

    You just can’t make this stuff up!!!

  69. Gigi Dennis’ career is soon to be over.  No matter the outcome, she has shown just what happens when the ‘WRONG” people are put in the “WRONG” jobs.  Notice that she is laying low below the radar these days?

    One would think that Gigi, a former State Senator could make a public appearance.  No way.  Instead, she has Dana Williams being the mouthpiece for the SoS’ office.  Looks like something the BB people would do. 

    Can’t wait to hear the BB avoided vietnam because he had a lesion on his rear-end and then John Boy Marshall trying to explain its size, location, severity, etc.  There comes a time when the person in charge needs to take the heat for their incompetency.

    I think it’s called “LEADERSHIP.”

    What would really be funny is that BB appoibnted Gigi as his running mate, and seeing Douglas Bruce (who nearly had his petition rights nullified by legislation sponsored by Gigi) standing side-by-side.  Afterall, Douglas Bruce is supporting BB.  So if Gigi become BB’s runningmate, then in essence, Douglas Bruce is now supporting Gigi.  How Funny!!! Now there’s a KODAK moment.

    You just can’t make this stuff up!!!

  71. Some people throw around words like frivolous…and lawsuit…and let me tell YOU something. Sure I sued my primary opponent Rogers in 2002. Sure it was Gessler / Durham who did it. Sure I claimed I had nothing to do with it.

    But let me tell YOU this…I am Bob Beauprez. I milked cows damn it! What more do you want? I AM BOB FREAKIN’ BEAUPREZ!

  72. OMG……….I just finished dinner and you’re posting speculation about a lesion on Both Ways’ butt…….eeeewwww……I’ll pass on having dessert!

  73. Thanks, MrHandy2001, for your insights – could well be correct in your anticipation of how a court might handle the petition signatures issue.  I still have one burning question, however (and I’m sorry if this has been answered elsewhere and I missed it): There was a very good, lengthy article in Sunday’s Post about MH and his history.  Buried in that article was some information about MH and Owens’ former friendship, and their mutual interest in male fitness.  Please tell me those aren’t code words for . . . nevermind.

  74. wahhh!!! the SOS didnt count my signatures right but ill just sue them cause im MARC frickin HOLTZMAN. I cant win the race so im just gonna sink the whole damn ship cause im MARC frickin HOLTZMAN. Why does everyone want to exclude me from the race? Dont they know that I actually KNEW Ronald Reagan. I hate the system so much which is why im going to go use the system so I can try to win the election. None of you poor people can do that, but I can cause Im MARC frickin HOLTZMAN. My signatures should count because the democrats should damn well be able to decide who the republicans get to vote for on their primary. Well….only this time though cause im MARC frickin HOLTZMAN. Oh look at the time, Ive got to head over to the gym today to go see Bill, we are going in the steam room today :)!!!!

  75. At first I was gonna get mad at MrHandy2001 for suggesting I go to law school – god no! – but after seeing what the Assistant Secretary of State Hobbs tried to do I think he’s right. Talk about arbitrary! “Well, you didn’t submit any evidence sooo…. case dismissed!” “But judge, you said we were just having a hearing on jurisdictional issues and you only scheduled it for 90 minutes, clearly not enough time to review any evidence!” Even the ASoS couldn’t stick to that ruling with a straight face. The reports say there was a “recess.” I’d love to have been a fly on the wall when Hobbs was consulting with Gigi during that recess and explaining that this latest desperate tactic wasn’t going to work.

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