Dennis Gallagher on the hot seat

Sometimes the most important news about an election is never mentioned, because the newspaper dailies are too busy figuring their advertising revenues to figure out what's happening.

And then... something strange appears.

Such is the case with Dear Denver's revelations regarding the Denver Auditor's office:

In January 2007, Denver voters received a strange phone call:

"This is Thomas Jefferson. I'm told that 20,000 people lost their right to vote in Denver last November. That is appalling. And it is not what I had in mind when I wrote the Declaration of Independence and we fought the Revolutionary War. It can't happen again. Please vote yes in the January 30th election to create an elected Clerk and Recorder in Denver. It works in the rest of Colorado. It will work here. Protect your right to vote. Reform the system. Vote yes for an elected Clerk." (Listen to the mp3.)

Dear Denver describes several reasons why this solicitation was suspicious. Was Gallagher responsible for illegal (or at least illicit) phone calls in the 2006-07 election campaign?

The mystery lingers: Who paid for the weird "Thomas Jefferson" robocalls during the January special election? It's not a mystery, really. Auditor Dennis Gallagher's campaign was responsible. Even so, questions remain.

I do not classify myself as a credulous supporter. I have mentioned before my personal affiliation with Denver Auditor Dennis Gallagher. We are not personal friends, but as a fellow Jesuit graduate, politico, and Irishman, I could hardly oppose my compatriot.

Even still, these are serious allegations requiring serious answer. I hope the public process can help illuminate the situation.

The full article is entitled "No one audits the auditor."