Gubernatorial candidate Marc Holtzman’s testimony in a Denver courtroom last week has become the target of a new radio ad that attacks his credibility and compares him to former President Clinton.
The ad, which started Wednesday and is paid for by an independent political committee, blasts Holtzman for testimony he gave at the hearing that contradicted what he said in his deposition.
It also criticizes him for being the only gubernatorial candidate to not disclose his tax returns.
“What’s he trying to hide?” a speaker in the ad says. “Holtzman sounds like Bill Clinton under oath.”
The comparison refers to Clinton’s denying he had a relationship with Monica Lewinsky in a deposition but admitting it before a grand jury.
Holtzman did not return phone calls seeking comment.
The ad, which is running for a week in Denver, Colorado Springs, Fort Collins/Greeley and Grand Junction, was paid for by Coloradans for Freedom and Opportunity, a political committee started by Katy Atkinson, a Republican consultant. The group filed papers Monday with the Internal Revenue Service, and its donors have not yet been made public.
Atkinson was the spokeswoman for the effort to pass Referendum C. Approved by voters in November, it allows the state to keep revenues – estimated at $4.25 billion over five years – that would have been refunded to taxpayers under the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights.
Holtzman has defended himself against claims he broke campaign laws by using the “If C Wins, You Lose” committee as a shadow gubernatorial campaign. He denied he and his campaign did anything wrong or that he used the committee to help his run for governor.
Testimony in the case brought against Holtzman by lobbyist Steve Durham was completed Tuesday. Attorneys for both sides are expected to file written closing statements May 12, and a decision is expected two weeks after that.
The 30-second ad also criticizes Dick Leggitt, Holtzman’s campaign manager, for making up poll numbers and results that he gave to a Denver Post reporter.
“The Holtzman campaign lied to the public?” a speaker asks rhetorically.
Leggitt has said he suspected the reporter was forwarding his e-mails to U.S. Rep. Bob Beauprez, who is running against Holtzman for the GOP nomination, and he wanted to “send a message.”
