Feisty Aphrodite Archives
FBI joins investigation of Colorado gubernatorial candidate Bob Beauprez (R)
Republican Bob Beauprez made some naughty accusations against his Democratic opponent Bill Ritter earlier this week that has landed his campaign a joint CBI/FBI investigation. During recent debates, Ritter demanded that Beauprez reveal his source for the information he used in a smear ad against Ritter about a case he handled back in 2001 as Denver's District Attorney - information that law officials have now confirmed could have only been obtained illegally.
The case regarded an illegal immigrant who was arrested for suspicion of trafficking heroin. Ritter plea bargained the case and the man was not deported, but was rather later arrested in California on charges that included lewd and lavacious acts with a child. The controversy lies in how Beauprez obtained the criminal information that proved the Walter Noel Ramo arrested in Denver, Eugene Alfredo Estrada-Acosta arrested in San Francisco, and Carlos Estrada Medina named in the attack ad were all in fact the same person. Such information could have only been accessed through the FBI's National Crime Information Center database, which is firmly restricted to law enforcement officials only. "Your campaign broke the law," Ritter accused during a televised debate. Beauprez scoffed Ritter's demands by stating, "He's trying to divert off the point. He's supposed to preserve the public safety and I don't believe he did."
Beauprez has taken a firm stance that he believes the source to be a "conscientious whistleblower" who is looking after the safety of the public. However, legal experts have said this can hardly be constituted as whistle-blowing because the source, who has been revealed as a federal immigration agent, did not take the appropriate steps in reporting his concerns previously through the right channels. The penalties for using such confidential information for purposes other than law enforcement include fines and up to a year in prison. As Republicans fight to keep the governor's seat in Colorado next month, this scandal couldn't have come at a worse time as Ritter has maintained a steady lead over Beauprez in the polls.
