This is disgusting. Norton stated her petitioning on was a strategy to meet Bennet head on. Now the changing of her campaign managers is evidence that she was not truthful. Sounds like slimey politics and the voters are treated as idiots. She has no credibility. She is obviously willing to use spin. In my book that immediately disqualifies her.

THANK YOU for posting this! I love your blog!!

Common Cents
http://www.commoncts.blogspot.com

ps. Link Exchange???

Online postings lead to Buck continually being called upon to release his own ETHICS FILES if he has nothing to hide

By Aaron Blake - 03/09/10 12:26 PM ET

SUTHERS BACKS NORTON
Colorado Attorney General John Suthers (R), who was initially expected to challenge Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) this year, announced Tuesday that he will back former Lt. Gov. Jane Norton in the Republican primary.

Suthers surprised everyone by saying no to a Senate run in early 2009. Since then, Norton has emerged as the establishment favorite, but she faces a contested primary.

"Jane Norton is a person of principle and integrity, and I am certain she will be an exceptional representative for the citizens of this state in the U.S. Senate," Suthers said in a statement. "She has a proven track record of experience in tackling and solving big issues, and I believe she is the right person to stand up for Colorado’s law enforcement community in our nation’s capitol."

=========Guest Commentary - Tribune Archives

WELD COUNTY DESERVES to have a district attorney who has demonstrated experience, competence, who stands for truth and openness and has been an effective prosecutor for the people.

Anyone can say anything to ask a voter for support. You have to look at the record and talk to those who know who is accomplishing and who is just talking.

Who is giving the public generalizations and partial statistics and who has proven specific examples of qualifications and demonstrated competence? Who has participated in Weld County, its law enforcement, its judicial system, its corrections systems, its community and its place in the state of Colorado, and who has only recently "dropped in"?
I am Tom Quammen, and I have been your public servant as a prosecutor for 23 years -- since then-District Attorney Bob Miller hired me. I have been the second in command in our district attorney's office for 16 years. I'm "homegrown" --born and raised in Weld County. This has always been my home and where I raise my family.

District attorneys from throughout Colorado named me "Colorado Prosecutor of the Year" in 1997 -- the highest honor a prosecutor can receive in our state. I have a proven and verified record of having tried and convicted some of the most serious and heinous criminals in our county.

My opponent has never tried a murder case, sexual assault case or any violent crime. It is easy for him to sit on the sidelines and Monday-morning quarterback. He's not even practicing law!

But if you're in the game, in the courtroom as I am and have been for 23 years, it is clear that experience and competence are what it takes to successfully prosecute these serious cases.

I manage an office of 60 employees with 21 attorneys. It's the largest law firm in northeastern Colorado -- and I've done this since 1989.

I have signed an unconditional waiver so anyone can go and see my professional and personnel files. My opponent refuses, stalls and seeks legal counsel.

My opponent gives you promises -- I give you a record of accomplishments.

Tom Quammen is running for Weld district attorney in the Republicans' Aug. 10 primary election.

===============================
Weld County Budget
Cost to Weld County taxpayers
DA Budget when Ken Buck took over $3.075 million (2005)
2010 DA Budget $4.445 million 45% increase over 5 years

DA Personnel 48.25 full time equivalent (FTE) 2005
58.375 FTE 2010 20.1% increase

Cost to Weld county Taxpayers of appeal lost in the Supreme Court over 4th Amendment to the US Constitution (illegal search and seizure) as of December 2009 over $150,000.

Hardly a fiscal Conservative expenditures increased nearly 10% per year and staff went up 20%.

============================================
Online:
*Time for *Buck* to Answer the Questions and Explain the Irony*

Ken *Buck* won the Republican primary in Weld County without revealing
his professional *records*. Then he won the District Attorney *race*.
Now he reigns as the top law enforcement officer in Weld County – the
District Attorney.

Why did *Buck* not *release* his professional *records*? The question is
still pertinent. He admitted in public interviews that he was demoted as
Chief of the Criminal Division for the US Attorney’s District Office.
But Republican *Buck* claimed Democrat Tom Strickland demoted him over
political clashes, because *Buck* supported Republican Wayne Allard for
the US Senate seat – not Strickland.

Perhaps, but let’s look at some facts, and the court *records*. *Buck*
still needs to explain the irony.

Tom Strickland took office as the US Attorney for Colorado on April
20^th ^ 1999, the day after the Columbine High School murder-suicide
tragedy. As supervisor, Strickland replaced Ken *Buck* 40 days later on
June 1 with an experienced judge, Richard Spriggs. *Buck* never filed
another criminal case for the US Attorney’s office. Strangely, the
official US District Court *records* show he only filed six criminal
cases in his 12 years in the office. This is puzzling since *Buck*
claims to have been a tough prosecutor on crime.

In October of 1999, after the Columbine shootings and after Ken *Buck*
had been demoted, US District Attorney Strickland started Project Exile
with cooperation from Mayor Wellington Webb, Denver *DA* Bill Ritter,
numerous law enforcement groups and private foundations. The stated
purpose was to “strictly enforce existing gun laws.” The primary goal
was to sweep illegal crime guns off the streets of Denver, and to stop
gangland homicides then terrifying Denver residents.

Over the next few years, Strickland’s Project Exile was responsible for
nearly tripling the number of gun prosecutions statewide, according to
studies.

Ken *Buck* was Chief of the Criminal Division of the US Attorney’s
office when the Columbine shootings started, and also during the two
years *prior* when many “crime guns” flowed to young gang members in the
Denver area. Strickland’s Project Exile began to eliminate many illegal
guns within 40 days after Ken *Buck* was removed as Chief of the
Criminal Division for the US Attorney’s office. Those are the facts.

Now for the mysterious irony. The source of many illegal guns was a
pawnshop owned by a prominent, active Republican. In fact, the owner of
the pawnshop was Chairman for Stephen Forbes’ 2000 Presidential
Campaign. That means he raised money for a major Republican presidential
candidate. That’s an important position in the Republican party which
means he had “connections.” Who is this Republican who provided illegal
guns?

Gregory Galyansky is an immigrant Russian-Jew who believed strongly in
the Second Amendment--the right to bear arms. Galyansky was openly
critical of the “Clinton Justice Department.”

During Ken Buck’s reign as Chief of the Criminal Division, while
shootings escalated in Denver, many illegal guns were traced to ABC
Loan, an Aurora pawn shop owned and operated by Galyansky. Thus,
Galyansky’s company sold guns illegally during the time he was Chairman
for the Stephen Forbes 2000 Presidential Campaign. This is documented by
police *records* and at the core of the mysterious irony.

From May of 1997 to May of 1998, a yearlong “sting” operation was
conducted by BATF officers on Galyansky’s pawnshop. The 9 separate
stings documented illegal purchases of 24 guns. The shop had previously
sold 66 guns to one woman, a straw-purchaser. Experts testified that she
turned the weapons over to a 20-year-old gang member named Rambo.
According to expert testimony in the court *records*, many of those guns
were later traced to serious crimes in Denver and Los Angeles.

Ken *Buck* was in charge of the Criminal Division during the year long
“sting” by BATF officers. Yet, *Buck* never arrested the outspoken
Republican gun merchant, Galyansky.

Frustrated by the flow of illegal guns into the streets of Denver, the
_Denver Post_, on December 19 of 1999, published an investigative report
that traced many “crime guns” back to Galyansky’s shop. Galyansky is
quoted in the article as stating he believes in “the Second
Amendment*.”** * He protested later that the article was politically
motivated.* *

The point is that Republican Ken *Buck* not only didn’t arrest Galansky
at the time, *Buck* apparently didn’t do anything to stop the illegal
gun sales – which continued.

In May of 2000, five months AFTER the _Denver Post_ article, Galyansky
was finally arrested. The court-recorded indictment asserts that illegal
gun sales continued “up until the arrest.” Why was this allowed? That is
a big question. But there is more to the story. The mystery grows
deeper. He received little punishment.

The evidence against Galyansky seemed overwhelming, yet two years later,
the owner of the pawnshop walked out of court with no jail time and
little punishment at all. The official Plea Bargain indicates he
received a $25 fine and one day of probation. That seems like an unfair
sentence for such a serious crime. However, Galansky was forced to
forfeit $15,000 worth of guns confiscated by the BATF. For some, that
accomplished the goal of getting guns off the street.

But does something seem wrong with this picture? What really happened?
Insiders say the case was seriously compromised. Court *records*
indicate a strange situation developed. A serious legal event, a leak,
may have weakened the case.

Here are the details. The Defense Attorneys for Galyansky made a formal
motion on July 24^th , 2000 for *release* of inside information. In
short, this means the defense asked for secret information developed by
the prosecution during the case.

This Defense Motion refers to a “privileged” (secret) internal memo in
the US Attorney’s office. The Defense for Galyansky requested the memo
because they “believed it contained information that would comment on
the ‘prosecutive merits’ of the case.

In simple words, the Defense Attorneys believed that the inside
paperwork would illustrate weaknesses in the case against Galyansky.
Again, the Defense requested this secret information created in meetings
within the US Attorney’s office while Ken *Buck* was Chief of the
Criminal Division. .

But the question is, how could they have knowledge about the secret
memo, and the contents? Obviously, someone inside the group prosecuting
the case must have told the defense attorneys about the information – a
leak. Apparently, an insider leaked information to the defense team. How
else would the defense know that any memo even existed?

Of course, the prosecutors refused to provide the information. But how
they refused illustrates the seriousness of the issue. The prosecutor’s
reply was filed on August 1, 2000.

*The Prosecutors state that the Defense wants “privileged internal
government documents.” The Prosecutors argue that “documents
regarding whether and how to charge a case are the classic example
of privileged work product.” *

Again, “privileged” means “secret.” The reply continues for 20 pages so
the issue was significant to the case. Again, during the time the
internal documents were created, Ken *Buck* was Chief of the Criminal
Division.

Later, after Ken *Buck* was demoted, he only handled civil cases for the
US attorney’s office until he departed in February of 2002 to work in
Greeley as a “craft training coordinator” for a major construction
company, Hensel-Phelps. Then he ran for District Attorney of Weld County
based on his background in the US Attorney’s office. He refused to
disclose his professional *records*, and still won the election. But the
basic facts remain.

Ken *Buck* was the Chief of the Criminal Division for the US Attorney’s
office, and the 3^rd highest law enforcement officer in the state during
the escalation of illegal crime gun sales in Denver.

Tom Strickland’s Project Exile, after *Buck* was demoted, quickly
tripled the number of prosecutions for illegal gun sales in Denver. That
suggests that *Buck* could have accomplished the same goal as Chief of
the Criminal Division. But he did not.

Ken *Buck*, as Weld County District Attorney, still needs to answer
these questions before citizens can feel comfortable with him in office
as the top law enforcement officer in Weld County. Would he refuse to
arrest a Republican Campaign Chairman if the person was breaking the
law? Will *Buck* “selectively prosecute” people who break the law?

What really happened? Galyansky received a slap on the wrist for serious
gun crimes. Why?

These are serious issues and deserve a serious explanation. Weld County
citizens should not be confident that *Buck* will prosecute criminals
fairly in Weld County until he answers these questions.

Jim Frazier
719-510-3186 2338 51^st Ave Greeley, CO. 80634

*Questions for a side-bar*.

1.Why was Ken *Buck* demoted as Chief of the Criminal Division June 1,
1999? (He's admitted this in print.)

2. Was a Grievance filed? Are *records* in the personnel file about the
demotion?

3. Why was Gregory Galyansky not arrested for illegal gun sales in 1997,
1998 or 1999 during Buck’s reign as Chief of the Criminal Division.
(Galyansky was arrested on May 10, 2000 and the case was closed in
November of 2002.)

4. Why did Ken *Buck* not prosecute any criminal cases for the US
Attorney’s office from 1999 -- 2002 after he was demoted as Chief of the
Criminal Division.

5. Why did Ken *Buck* not obtain another job in 2002 based on his record
for prosecution of criminal cases?

7. Why do US DISTRICT COURT computerized files show Ken Buck’s name as
prosecutor on only 6 criminal cases, and all of those from 1991-1994. Of
the 63 cases that bear Ken Buck’s name as prosecutor from 1991-2001, all
are Civil cases, but six. Why? Is this a computer filing error?

8. The Galyansky public case files indicate that knowledge of an
internal secret memo in the US Attorney’s office was given to the
Defense Attorneys. The secret memo was based on “discussions that took
place in the office prior to Tom Strickland.” *Buck* was in charge of
the Criminal Division at the time of the internal discussions.

How did the defense find out about these memos?

Jim Frazier


http://www.coloradoforethics.org/files/documents/EthicsRoundup2009.pdf website ETHICS

KEN BUCK, WELD COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY
Ken Buck (R) was elected as Weld County’s District Attorney in November 2004.
Prior to being elected he worked with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Denver. Mr. Buck
has blatantly targeted immigrants, allegedly for identity theft, using unlawful means to
gather evidence.

Identity Theft Investigation Targeting Immigrants

On October 17, 2008, Weld County law enforcement officials launched
“Operation Number Games” by searching Amalia’s Translation and Tax Service, a
Greeley business.57 The stated purpose of the operation was to investigate possible
identity theft by undocumented immigrants.58 In that investigation, deputies with the
Weld County Sheriff’s office searched Amalia’s business records dating back to 2000.59
In January 2009, the American Civil Liberties Union (“ACLU”), on behalf of
Amalia’s owner and several of its clients, filed suit against Mr. Buck and Weld County
Sheriff John Cooke.60 The suit alleged that the search and seizure of tax records at
Amalia’s violated the state constitutional right of privacy, the Colorado Rules of Criminal
Procedure and the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.61 After a one and a half
day hearing, District Court Judge James Hiatt ruled against Mr. Buck and entered an
injunction requiring Mr. Buck, Mr. Cooke and their offices to return all information
obtained in the search.62 Among other things, Judge Hiatt ruled that the search was
“unreasonably overbroad” and went “far beyond what was established, either authorized
in the warrant or for which there might have been probable cause in the affidavit.”63
Judge Hiatt also found that the search provided “little of public benefit compared to the
private harm to [the business owner], to her business, to her clients, to her clients’ privacy
in terms of fear, in terms of invasion of confidential private material.”64
In a subsequent criminal case filed by Mr. Buck’s office, District Court Judge
James Hartmann ruled that evidence obtained from the search of Amalia’s had to be

57 Mike Peters, 13-year-old case led to new probe, Greeley Tribune, November 14, 2008 (Exhibit 31).
58 Sharon Dunn, ACLU sues Weld DA Ken Buck and Weld sheriff John Cooke, Greeley Tribune, January
28, 2009 (Exhibit 32).
59 Id.
60 Complaint, In re Search of Amalia’s Translation and Tax Service, 2009-CV-100, District Court,
Nineteenth Judicial District (Exhibit 33); Tom McGee, Seizure of tax files leads to ACLU suit, The Denver
Post, January 28, 2009 (Exhibit 34).
61 Id.
62 Reporter’s Transcript, In re Search of Amalia’s Translation and Tax Service, District Court, Weld
County, Colorado, April 13, 2009, p. 21 (Exhibit 35); Monte Whaley, Weld ID-theft case put on hold, The
Denver Post, March 11, 2009 (Exhibit 36).
63 Reporter’s Transcript, supra note 62 at p. 15-16 (Exhibit 35).
64 Id. at p. 19.
12

suppressed because the search violated the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.65
Mr. Buck’s office voluntarily dismissed 30 additional cases in response to the ruling.66
In response to the ACLU suit, Mr. Buck’s office set up a “Legal Defense Fund”
on the county website, selling t-shirts with the slogan “Weld County Standing Up For
Americans” allegedly to offset taxpayer money used to defend the suit.67 As of May
2009, the “Legal Defense Fund” had reportedly raised $2,010, while Weld County paid
more than $97,000 in legal fees just in the ACLU case.68 Mr. Buck’s office is appealing
both the decision in the ACLU case and the suppression order in the criminal case.69
Mr. Buck’s grandstanding and reckless spending of taxpayer resources in defense
of a search deemed illegal by the court suggests that he is putting his political agenda
above the best interests of the citizens of Weld County.

======================================================================

Gregory GOLYANSKY » CO » 80015
Contributor Candidate or PAC Amount Date FEC Filing
GOLYANSKY, GREGORY N MR
AURORA, CO 80015
MORETA, INC./PAWNBROKER BUCK, KENNETH R (R)
Senate - CO
BUCK FOR COLORADO $250
primary 09/25/09
GOLYANSKY, GREGORY N MR
AURORA, CO 80015
MORETA, INC./PAWNBROKER BUCK, KENNETH R (R)
Senate - CO
BUCK FOR COLORADO $250
primary 08/24/09
GOLYANSKY, GREGORY N MR
AURORA, CO 80015
MORETA, INC./PAWNBROKER BUCK, KENNETH R (R)
Senate - CO
BUCK FOR COLORADO $200
primary 08/17/09

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