UPDATE: Bennet’s name has since reappeared in the article. Well, part of it. Looks as if a rush to cover one mistake simply resulted in yet another:

Democratic Sens. Jon Tester (Mont.), Michael ` (Colo.), Heidi Heitkamp (N.D.), Tim Kaine (Va.), Amy Klobuchar (Minn.), Claire McCaskill (Mo.), Jeanne Shaheen (N.H.), Tom Udall (N.M.­), Mark Warner (Va.) and Angus King (I-Maine), who caucuses with Democrats, signed the letter.

It appears that U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet tried to hide his participation in a Democratic scheme to block VA funding, stop military paychecks, and shut down the government agency by agency.

But, of course, we found the evidence. First, there was the case of the mysterious disappearance of Bennet’s name from an article in a prominent Capitol Hill publication. Bennet’s name showed up in the Google alert, but in the actual article his name was missing from the lineup.

We found the letter on which the article was based, and lo and behold, there was Bennet’s signature.

Bennet was also prominently featured in the press release from Sen. Jon Tester’s office announcing the letter.

As we revealed in a recent post, Senate Democrats openly bragged in a Washington Post story about their plot to force Republicans to bust spending caps in every single agency, or Democrats would shut down the government.

In this recent letter, Democrats, including Bennet, make clear their threat, telling the GOP that if they want “to avoid another budget cliff,” they had better increase spending on a host of issues, including the purchase of more private land to add to the massive federal holdings.

“It is critical that you begin negotiations now in order to avoid another manufactured crisis this fall,” Democratic senators said.

At least they are admitting that they are manufacturing the crisis.

“Senate Democrats made known their intent to reject consideration of any appropriation bills until a deal is made to lift the budget caps currently in place. Instead of relying on budget gimmicks and trying to score cheap political points, we urge everyone to focus on the fact that the American people are understandably sick and tired of these games.”

Wow. Pot meet kettle, kettle, pot.

So, why was Bennet trying to hide his role in the government shutdown scheme? Obviously, he doesn’t want Colorado to know he’s playing both sides of the fence in the VA Aurora hospital saga – telling Coloradans he wants it funded, while threatening to filibuster said funding.

He’s also trying to hide the fact that cutting off military pay will also affect about 100,000 military members in our state.

Here’s some free political advice, Senator: if you don’t want your name in an article admitting to a shutdown scheme, don’t sign your name to a letter bragging about it.