Candidate Wright pays for robocalls defending himself

EXTRAS

• Document: Tancredo robocall

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Tom Tancredo

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Gretel Daugherty

Tom Tancredo

QUICKREAD

MORE ROBO CALLS

In the wake of two automated telephone calls asking Republican Jared Wright to leave the race for House District 54, the candidate has paid for calls of his own. Here’s the text to that call:

I’m Tom Tancredo. I’m calling you because I supported Jared Wright for state representative. You know, I think it’s important for you to know who the real Jared Wright is. I know that there’s been a lot of press out there and I think Jared is a fighter with backbone who will not back down just because the going gets tough. I believe him to be a principled conservative. I know he’s a family man and a man of faith who won’t sell out our values to self-interested power brokers in Mesa County or anywhere else. I know that his willingness to stand up to corruption in Mesa County has made him a target. But he’s willing to fight for you. So I’m asking you to stand with me, Tom Tancredo, to support Jared Wright. Now, he’s just a human being like the rest of us who’s been just a mortal and subject to all of the problems that we mortals have. But, I will tell you I think he is one who is a real conservative and a true patriot. He’s interested in supporting your interests, not special interests. When Jared goes to the state Capitol to represent you, his voting record will speak for itself and you’ll be glad you sent him. You can call Jared at 970-639-0149. I want you to encourage him and thank him for standing up to the corruption in politics there and everywhere else for that matter. Thanks again.

(New voice) Paid for by the Committee to Elect Jared Wright.

In the wake of two automated telephone calls asking Republican Jared Wright to leave the race for House District 54, the candidate has paid for calls of his own. Here’s the text to that call:

 

I’m Tom Tancredo. I’m calling you because I supported Jared Wright for state representative. You know, I think it’s important for you to know who the real Jared Wright is. I know that there’s been a lot of press out there and I think Jared is a fighter with backbone who will not back down just because the going gets tough. I believe him to be a principled conservative. I know he’s a family man and a man of faith who won’t sell out our values to self-interested power brokers in Mesa County or anywhere else. I know that his willingness to stand up to corruption in Mesa County has made him a target. But he’s willing to fight for you. So I’m asking you to stand with me, Tom Tancredo, to support Jared Wright. Now, he’s just a human being like the rest of us who’s been just a mortal and subject to all of the problems that we mortals have.

But, I will tell you I think he is one who is a real conservative and a true patriot. He’s interested in supporting your interests, not special interests. When Jared goes to the state Capitol to represent you, his voting record will speak for itself and you’ll be glad you sent him. You can call Jared at 970-639-0149. I want you to encourage him and thank him for standing up to the corruption in politics there and everywhere else for that matter. Thanks again.

 

(New voice) Paid for by the Committee to Elect Jared Wright.

MORE ROBOCALLS

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By Charles Ashby
Friday, August 24, 2012

Just days after two automated telephone calls went out to House District 54 voters calling on them to ask Jared Wright to drop out of the race, the GOP candidate paid for robotic calls of his own this week.

But unlike Grand Junction businessman Alex Chaffetz or Western Slope Conservative Alliance President Gary Bailey, who recorded their own messages to callers earlier this week, Wright used another familiar voice: Tom Tancredo.

“I know that there’s been a lot of press out there and I think Jared is a fighter with backbone who will not back down just because the going gets tough,” the former congressman says in the 90-second recorded message. “I know he’s a family man and a man of faith who won’t sell out our values to self-interested power brokers in Mesa County or anywhere else.”

Ironically, Tancredo did to the GOP’s gubernatorial candidate, Dan Maes, in 2010 what local Republicans are doing to Wright: Ask him to step down for the good of the party.

Those calls came to Wright after revelations came to light over why he lost his job as a Fruita police officer and details of his personal bankruptcy last year.

Tancredo ended up going against Republican Party officials by leaving the GOP and becoming the gubernatorial candidate for the American Constitution Party.

Democratic Gov. John Hickenlooper won the race with 51 percent of the vote. Tancredo got 36 percent of the vote and Maes received 11 percent.

In the call, Tancredo used many of the same words and phrases Wright did when he appeared at a small gathering of supporters Tuesday to say he planned to stay in the race despite repeated calls for him to drop out.

Like Tancredo’s message, Wright said “self-interested power brokers” were trying to force him out.

Wright didn’t return requests for comment.

Meanwhile, Western Slope Conservative Alliance officials announced Thursday that the group will hold a candidate forum Sept. 6 but isn’t planning to invite Wright.

Alliance spokeswoman Sandra Peeso said the group’s 10 directors have divided up the list of local, state and national candidates who they want to appear, but no one asked to call Wright.

“Right now, no, officially we have not invited Jared,” Peeso said. “At the time we were discussing who to invite, he didn’t come up and none of the board members brought his name up. We are inviting Tim Menger.”

Menger is a Libertarian and the only other person in the race.

The alliance doesn’t endorse candidates and calls itself non-partisan, but Peeso said she isn’t concerned that people will view not inviting Wright as a back-door endorsement of Menger.

“Our philosophy is we will invite these people, and for the members and the people who come and listen, it’s up to you to decide who they want,” Peeso said.

“We’re just giving you the venue.”

Menger has already won the support of two tea party groups in the Grand Valley, GJResults and a new group that calls itself WSCA-Tea Party.

The Whitewater resident said the race was becoming a bit “silly,” and questioned Tancredo’s description of Wright as a principled candidate.

“That sounds kind of strange coming from someone who is part of the problem,” Menger said.

“It’s like trying to get John F. Kennedy to stick up for Charles Manson and hoping that everyone will fall for it.”