Last night, Aspen City Council candidate Bert Myrin defended altering opposing campaign materials ten years ago, to benefit a political cause. The issue came up during the Aspen Chamber Resort Association candidate forum.
Seven candidates crammed behind a long table, in a conference room at the Limelight Hotel. With vigorous moderating, they detailed their positions on how to boost the local economy, the role of local politicians, and problems at city hall. They also addressed specific questions about their public and private track records.
Candidate Bert Myrin was asked whether voters can trust that he has not manipulated materials about his campaign, or a referendum he helped get on this spring’s ballot.
“You can be assured there’s nothing like that in Referendum 1,” said Myrin, the room quiet. “And there hasn’t been anything else like that over the last 15 years because if there was, it would be pretty public.”
Myrin also said he’s facing intense scrutiny because, quote, “all of my fights have had a lot of money on the other side.”
Aspen Public Radio reported this week that Myrin had manipulated campaign materials from the Chamber of Commerce, about a referendum issue 10 years ago, misrepresenting the organization’s position on the contentious ballot issue. He signed an affidavit confirming the incident. Jeanette Darnauer was on the Chamber’s Board of Directors at the time, and worked on the group’s campaign. She says she was unaware of the incident until now.
“Anything that was done to derail our intent and our purpose was inappropriate,” says Darnauer. “It’s just flat unethical and lacks integrity to make a change like that.”
In full disclosure, Darnauer serves on the citizen’s advisory board for Aspen Public Radio.
Also at the forum last night, a small panel debated Referendum 1, which would affect certain development projects. And, Mayoral candidates more clearly defined their differences. Incumbent Steve Skadron pushed Torre to acknowledge his approval of the controversial Art Museum; Torre said he disagreed with Skadron’s attempts to bring uphill-skiing related jobs to the Roaring Fork Valley.
