June 01, 2012 12:52 AM UTC

TABOR Author Doug Bruce Sheds Jailhouse Orange

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• by: Colorado Pols

AP via the Pueblo Chieftain:

One of Colorado’s best known anti-tax crusaders has been released from a Denver jail after serving time for tax evasion…

He was sentenced in February after being convicted for evading state income taxes, filing a false return and failing to file tax returns between 2005 and 2010.

But Doug Bruce is out a bit early on account of his unlikely good behavior–and the Colorado Springs newspaper’s editorial board is already hard at work on his rehabilitation, writing today that “love or hate his cause and personality, men like Bruce are too few.” We have little doubt that, like other comic-book villains, we’ve not seen the last of Bruce in Colorado politics.

If anything, we’re sad this means the end of Cool Hand Bruce.

UPDATE: FOX 31’s Eli Stokols:

After spending 103 days in jail, convicted tax evader Douglas Bruce was released early Thursday morning. He made claims of innocence and called the jail system “sadistic” while detailing the “slop” food and his “mistaken” trips to solitary confinement.

Bruce, 62, was convicted in December of tax evasion and three other tax-related crimes tied to his non-profit organization Active Citizens Together. He was sentenced in February to 180 days in jail. However, that sentence was reduced on May 7 for good behavior…

Bruce called the system sadistic as he detailed his time spent working in the kitchen. “They serve this inedible, unsanitary food… (the deputies) didn’t serve (the inmates) regular porridge, they served them cream of white, which is tasteless paste,” he said.