We’ve reported on Crisanta Duran’s campaign finance foibles before, but we had to revisit in light of Duran’s violation hearing on Monday. We at the Peak love to see Democrats save their own hide by rolling other Democrats under the bus. It sends a thrill up our leg. Case in point: It went largely unnoticed earlier this week when State Rep. Crisanta Duran, in attempting to save her own political backside, threw U.S. Senator Mark Udall straight under the bus.
Compass Colorado filed papers earlier this month alleging that Duran violated campaign finance laws by taking corporate contributions. She shot back in the Denver Post that she could accept corporate cash because she hosted a joint fundraiser. Fine. We’ll see what people think of her laundering corporate campaign cash into her personal campaign.
In her violation hearing on Monday, Duran, through her attorney, Democrat hacktivist and regular apologist, Ed Ramey, conceded that she solicited and accepted corporate cash at the fundraiser. Maybe she wins, maybe she loses, but when she protected her own hide, she confirmed that Udall broke federal law.
Udall’s camp says the law is being “misinterpreted.” Nice attempt at spin, Chris Harris. The FEC is very…and we mean very…clear on whether a federal candidate [throws shade to Mark Udall] can raise money for a non-federal candidate [gives mad side-eye to Crisanta Duran] at an event where corporate contributions are made.
Yeah, he can’t. From Federal Election Commission guidance:
“5. I’m hosting a fundraising event (Duran) for a state candidate and am going to solicit donations from corporations and labor organizations at the event. May a federal candidate or officeholder give a speech at my fundraising event?
Yes. Federal candidates and officeholders may attend, speak at, and be featured guests at nonfederal fundraising events. (11 CFR 300.64(b)(1).) What federal candidates and officeholders (Udall) may NOT do is to solicit nonfederal funds at any time.”
In pulling her rear-end out of the fire, Duran turned up the heat on Mark Udall and his federal violations. PeakNation, we can’t wait to see how this ends. If Duran wins, Udall’s guilty! Win Win!
By trying to save her own political future, Duran has handed Udall and his team a very serious blow…and maybe even with national implications. Democrats are on the verge of losing the U.S. Senate. Is this the grain of sand that will tip the scales? We can see the headlines now – “Colorado’s Rep. Duran Loses Senate for Dems”. We’d probably feel pretty bad about possibly effing up the entire majority in the U.S. Senate to save our own tails, but, hey, we’re not Crisanta Duran.
Regardless, no word yet from the Udall camp as to whether Duran is still on his “holiday” card list.
Welcome to Cal-orado.