Lies, Damned Lies, and Republican "Spin"

It seems that Dick Leggitt, a long time associate, and former staffer of Virginia Governor Jim Gilmore was caught spreading fake poll numbers for Colorado anti-tax candidate, Marc Holtzman.  Leggitt was apparently in Colorado looking after some $350,000 that Gilmore had contributed to defeat last year's successful "responsible government" initiatives known as referrenda "C and D".

Gilmore's operative in Denver was working hard for trust fund babies, decaying roads, and ignorant children, as was Mr. Holtzman, who's candidacy for Governor was largely based on his opposition to responsible government. 

When Mr. Holtzman came out strongly against the responsible government referrenda, Gilmore's man in Colorado, Dick Leggitt, apparently told reporters that Holtzman had shot up in the polls.

It was a lie.

Apparently when you lie in court it's called "perjury", but when you lie to the papers it's called "spin":

Dick Leggitt, a Gilmore campaign consultant and former employee in the governor's office, lied to a Denver newspaper about poll numbers and resigned Friday as campaign manager for a Colorado candidate for governor, according to Denver newspapers.

Leggitt told a Denver Post reporter that his candidate for Colorado governor, anti-taxer Marc Holtzman, had shot up in poll results after Holtzman starred in TV spots opposing a ballot initiative.

The Denver Post used poll results that Leggitt admitted in court two weeks ago he had faked. Leggitt testified he had sent the phony poll numbers but called his action "spin" and implied it was a common practice among political operatives, the Rocky Mountain News reported Saturday.

Leggitt and Holtzman had to defend the campaign this year against charges of campaign finance violations. U.S. Rep. Bob Beauprez, a Republican from the Denver area, appears to have a large lead over Holtzman in the contest for the GOP nomination for governor this year, said Larry J. Sabato, director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics.

Politics is a bad place for desperation.

"There has never been any point at which Holtzman had much of a chance of overtaking Beauprez as the GOP nominee for governor," Sabato said. "The fake poll numbers were a desperate gambit, and very foolish, too. I suppose the Gilmore PAC donation was a gift not just to Holtzman but to Gilmore's loyal aide, [Leggitt]."

Sabato added that Leggitt "may be correct that lots of operatives give out phony poll numbers. I've seen other examples. And it's also true that when you are caught, you are not taken seriously anymore. Thanks goodness there's a penalty for lying, even in politics."

Another reactionary Republican goes down in flames.  Such a pity.  On the bright side, at least he didn't receive consensual oral sex.  That really would be a scandal.

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