Over the past week I ran across a few bits of information that led me to pose the following question: Is there something about being on the fringe extremes of the political spectrum that correlates to ethical lapses?
First, Denver political activist Darrell Watson emailed me a copy of a complaint he filed against Denver Councilwoman Candi CdeBaca.
The complaint alleges that CdeBaca’s refusal to reimburse eight days of salary to the City and County of Denver — an action every other member of the City Council and Mayor Michael Hancock took in solidarity with city employees who were furloughed for eight days during the pandemic — and instead donate the funds to a charity of her choosing constituted an ethical violation.
Watson alleges that she both benefited from a tax deduction and garnering political support at the expense of the city’s general fund.
Given my past criticism of CdeBaca’s nepotism, this is just one of multiple email tips I’ve received about her questionable judgment. She has also faced prior complaints by police officers and campaign finance watchdogs.
Several days later I ran across the story about U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert citing “the ongoing public health emergency” for her inability to attend to her official duties representing her Colorado constituents in Washington, D.C., last Friday.
Except Boebert was not sick at home. She pulled a Ferris Bueller and jetted down to the CPAC convention in Florida to address her political constituency and one orange-hued blowhard in particular.
I can just picture former Nixon/Ford speechwriter Ben Stein on the floor of the U.S. House issuing a monotone, “Boebert? Boebert? Boebert?”
