Last week, the Chieftain reported that Pueblo DA Jeff Chostner announced charges would not be filed against GOP County Chair Becky Mizel for allegedly removing confidential documents from a canvass board meeting because her actions were inadvertent.
Gilbert Ortiz, Pueblo Clerk and Recorder
We wanted to take a moment to weigh in on this big fat nothing burger of a scandal that had Pueblo Clerk Gilbert Ortiz and our favorite left-wingers at ProgressNow with their hair in a tizzy.
In the world of volunteer politics, people are bound to make mistakes. If they own up to those mistakes and correct their actions that should be enough. The DA basically acknowledges as much in a Dec. 10th letter to Mizel, stating:
“However, based on your insistence that the removal of the documents was unintentional; the fact you did return the documents after being confronted; and other considerations, including information that your actions have not resulted in any permanent harm, I have decided that criminal charges will not be filed.”
The rest of the letter is a strongly worded warning to Mizel about her conduct, but at the end of the day it’s all bark and no bite. The truth is that the matter had been resolved before it ever reached the DA’s desk. The fact that criminal charges were even considered was extreme and unnecessary.
I've been trying to find out exactly what this 'confidential' document is. The thought of "Confidential" information concerning public elections makes me nervous.
Considering that voter information, including full name; residential address; party affiliation and
date of affiliation; phone number; gender; birth year; and, information about whether a voter has voted in prior elections is all public information, the only thing I can think of that would be 'confidential,' is how they voted.
And I really doubt there was a list of people and their actually vote being passed around the table. It would be a massive document. I've seen the video recording of the meeting and there are no documents that big on the table.
So, to me, the most important question are: What 'confidential' documents about public elections are being kept from the public. Why are there 'confidential' documents regarding elections at all?
I've asked the Chieftain for a follow-up article/update describing the 'confidential' information. Haven't seen anything yet.