July 27, 2007 07:45 PM UTC

GJ Sentinel Blasts Rep. Rose's Failing Recall Attempt

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• by: Colorado Pols

From their editorial section today:

Proponents of an effort to recall Montrose County Commissioner Bill Patterson — and that seemingly once included state Rep. Ray Rose — ought to drop the recall drive now that an independent investigation conducted for Montrose District Attorney Myrl Serra has concluded there is no cause for criminal charges against Patterson.

The recall drive began after Republican Rose gave documents to Serra that charged Patterson, a Democrat, with “serious financial improprieties and accounting irregularities.”

Rose announced the recall effort in May, and later held a news conference detailing Patterson’s alleged misdeeds. But last week, after Serra revealed the results of his investigation, Rose said of the recall effort, “I didn’t support it. I had nothing to do with it.”

We’ll leave it to voters in Rose’s legislative district to decide how involved he was in the recall attempt. [Pols emphasis] Meanwhile, the men who initiated the recall drive have until next Wednesday to collect 3,900 signatures to put the Patterson recall on the November ballot.

Recall should be used to remove elected officials who neglect their duties or commit public malfeasance, not for disagreements over policy. With the release of Serra’s report, there is no evidence that Patterson is guilty of any type of official transgression and no reason to continue this recall effort.