A message allegedly written by the chairwoman of the Colorado Republican Party warning candidates not to take sides on the legal issues surrounding embattled Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters isn’t sitting well with a group that is trying to prove voter fraud.
The somewhat shadowy U.S. Election Integrity Plan, which operates in the Grand Valley and elsewhere in the state, went after GOP Chairwoman Kristi Burton Brown over a leaked message from Brown to an unknown school board candidate elsewhere in the state.
In the message, Brown warns the candidate not to post or say anything publicly about Peters while local, state and federal investigators dig into allegations that the Mesa County Republican clerk and others inside and outside of her office may have played a role in possible criminal violations of state election security laws.
“Figured I’d give you a heads up that the issue in Mesa County is becoming an issue for some of our candidates,” Brown allegedly wrote. “I don’t know everything yet, but I’d suggest our candidates not say anything publicly because there are still a number of facts that need to be discovered.
“I’ve seen what’s being claimed by some of our election integrity people, but there also are claims that the video camera in the clerk’s office was shut off and that a ballot marking tool was stolen (not public info),” she added. “If that’s true — and it’s still a big if — the clerk may be in big trouble.”
Brown goes on to suggest that it is best to wait until more information comes out.
That still got the goat of the people behind the Colorado-based group that claims to have further evidence that some Colorado voters’ ballots weren’t counted in the 2020 election, and say they are near to releasing their findings.
That group has been going door to door in Mesa County and elsewhere asking voters if they cast a ballot in the 2020 election, falsely telling some there is no record their ballots were counted.
“Turns out the CO GOP Chair Kristi Burton Brown is as feckless as the rest of the GOP establishment across the nation when it comes to election integrity,” the group posted on its unsigned internet blog.
“In a leaked message KBB’s cowardice and lack of understanding of the law is on full display as she encourages candidates to steer clear of the fight in Mesa County,” the group added. “In fact, KBB declined to do her homework that would show many of (Secretary of State Jena) Griswold’s claims have no legal backing. However, it’s no surprise. KBB has been completely silent on the topic of election integrity since she’s been elected in December.”
The group also says that Brown and Rona Romney McDaniel, chairwoman of the Republican National Committee have been using election integrity issues to raise campaign funds, “but when the fight is real, turning into cowards and running from the election integrity fight.”
The Brown message was first reported on the left-leaning blog ColoradoPols.
