When Dr. Stephen Shogan threw his hat into the ring last week, many scratched their heads about where this guy came from and what his angle was.  Would he be a Democratic spoiler or a Republican spoiler?  All we knew is that he claimed to be an independent and was anti-Obamacare.  We’ve learned more that leads us to believe Dr. Shogan may not be exactly independent, and his Obamacare stance may be different than he suggests.  Here are a few facts about Dr. Shogan that you should consider:

1) He’s only donated to Dems. He claims he changed his voter registration from Democrat to Independent in 2007. While this is true, his allegiance to the Democratic party lasted through at least 2010 as he’s donated to Democrats – and only Democrats – up to that point.  He’s never donated to a Republican that we can determine.

2) He has ties to the go-to Democratic public affairs firm.  His campaign manager/press flack is Sue Hoover Hamblin, a former Quiznos executive.  There is one public affairs firm in town that represents Quiznos and USA ProCycling Challenge founder Rick Schaden – OnSight Public Affairs.  OnSight also represents liberal Governor John Hickenlooper, liberal U.S. Senator Mark Udall, fellow faux independent Kent Thiry, Hickenlooper’s Amendment 66, and the Colorado Health Exchange.  See more under #4.

3) He and Hickenlooper share another vendor.  Dr. Shogan also hired Bill Hillsman, founder and “driving force” behind North Woods Advertising.  Hillsman helped Hick with his ads in Hick’s Mayoral run – and that’s his only work except for a random AG candidate – in Colorado.  Hillsman, a known Democratic operative, has worked with left-leaning so-called independents for years.  Just one example?  Arianna Huffington who ran as an independent candidate for the Governor of California in the Gray Davis recall.  Hint: Huffington isn’t really an independent.  North Woods is the only expenditure thus far in his campaign and he paid $45,000 for a media plan.  Sue, we hope you’re getting paid that well, too.  We’re concerned.

4) Shogan’s board involvement revolves around top Democratic causes. Shogan sits on the board of the Colorado Legacy Foundation, which declares it’s mission to ignite the power of public education.  The Colorado Legacy Foundation, which has been renamed the Colorado Education Initiative, also is represented by Onsight Public Affairs.  On that board is Tom Gart, who is a major Hickenlooper donor, as are most of the Gart family members.  Gart’s brother, Ken, got Hick in a little trouble for bringing him (Ken) and his son to the Quiznos Pro-Cycle Challenge in a state plane.

Of course, one of the largest donors to the Colorado Legacy Foundation is the Gates Foundation – it has donated over $18 million to the nonprofit since 2008.  But, who could forget Melinda Gates’ overwhelming generosity (a $1 million check) toward Amendment 66.  Oh, it must be such a tangled web over at OnSight.

Look, we’re not saying Dr. Shogan is a bad guy, but he should just own his love of liberalism.