May 04, 2007 04:49 PM UTC

Romanoff To Testify On Robocalls

• 4 Comments
• by: Colorado Pols

As the Denver Post reports:

The special legislative committee investigating an ethics complaint against homebuilders lobbyist William Mutch has asked House Speaker Andrew Romanoff to testify today…

Mutch, a lobbyist for Colorado Concern, is accused of orchestrating robo-calls that falsely claimed lawmakers were considering a tax hike on homes.

It is legal for groups to run ads about legislation and lawmakers, but a legislative rule prohibits lobbyists from attempting to influence lawmakers “by means of deceit” or threats…

The Rocky Mountain News has a better recap of yesterday’s ethics committee action:

The latest person to testify in the saga over controversial phone calls in Democratic lawmakers’ districts was Rob Nanfelt, a top official with the Colorado Association of Home Builders.

He told the three-member legislative ethics committee Thursday that he advised lobbyist William Mutch against calls that were part of a campaign against a home buyers’ protection bill…

During much of Nanfelt’s testimony, Mutch’s attorney, Jeff Springer, sat quietly on the side, shaking his head in disbelief. “I think Mr. Mutch is the one who has been entirely candid,” was all Springer would say afterward.

Our view is that Mutch went way out on a limb here, running these calls without adequate vetting by his bosses–then he made his situation immeasurably worse by lying to everybody about it.

The lies subsequent to the robocalls are the problem now, not the robocalls themselves. For Mutch’s lawyer to claim that he’s the only one who ‘has been candid’ is the most ridiculous counter offered yet. After all, Mutch’s primary defense is that “deception” is protected by the 1st Amendment.

The Colorado Concern will survive this rash stupidity and dishonesty from one of its “professional” staffers, and probably learn a valuable lesson: keep track of what your people are doing. William Mutch, for his part, should never work in this town again.