Looks like it’s not just Republicans in Colorado who are having a rough time dragging their campaigns across the primary finish line.
Earlier, we reported how Democratic Senate candidate Andrew Romanoff sold his house to give his campaign a financial boost. Now, Denver school board member Andrea Merida has resigned from Romanoff’s campaign, after reports that she was being paid thousands of dollars in consulting fees without disclosing her role on the campaign.
According to the Post, Merida had attacked incumbent Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) in board meetings and other forums — all while being on the take from Team Romanoff. The entire school board appears to have been divided by the primary fight between Romanoff and Bennet, formerly the Superintendent of the Denver Public Schools.
On Friday, The Denver Post reported on the campaign’s payments to Merida. At the time, Merida said it was “immaterial to disclose it” and the campaign said her role was not secret.
But in a blog post on her website yesterday, Merida changed her tune. “I neglected to tell the Denver Post that I hold such a position, though not intentionally,” Merida wrote. Merida stated that the campaign paid her $2,500 a month to be a “field organizer,”but that she would resign after the flap.
In my naivete, I believed it was not an issue, because campaigns are supposed to be separate from board work. For my oversight, I must apologize, and I regret any injury I may have caused. As a result, I have decided to resign from the campaign
The primary is August 10.
Eric Lach
Eric Lach is a reporter for TPM. From 2010 to 2011, he was a news writer in charge of the website’s front page. He has previously written for The Daily, NewYorker.com, GlobalPost and other publications. He can be reached at ericl(at)talkingpointsmemo.com
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