Adams County Republicans

Advancing conservative ideals in Adams County, Colorado

Category Archives: Candidates

Plea deal clears way for testimony in Adams County paving scandal

By Kevin Vaughan
The Denver Post

A plea deal with one of six people implicated in an Adams County paving fraud scandal opens the door for him to testify against others in a case in which taxpayers were allegedly bilked for $1.8 million in work that wasn’t done.

Heath Russo, 34, agreed to plead guilty to misdemeanor and felony theft charges — and to testify against any others who are charged in the case.

"Mr. Russo has been cooperating with the authorities since they initially contacted him," his attorney, Manuel Solano, said Friday.

Solano described Russo as "just a pretty clean-cut young man" who had never previously been in trouble with the law.

Russo was one of four officials of Quality Paving who were charged with multiple felony counts in the case. In addition, two Adams County public works officials have been charged in an investigation that is nearly 3 years old and growing.

Among the things now being examined by investigators is work Quality Paving did at the home of Adams County Commissioner Alice Nichol. Continue reading →

GOP chair candidate ranks could swell

2/12/2011
By Ernest Luning
The Colorado Statesman

The race for Colorado Republican Party chair was upended this week by two-term Chairman Dick Wadhams’ unexpected withdrawal but the dust might not have settled yet. Three prominent Republicans are considering getting into the race next week, The Colorado Statesman has learned, including a former statewide candidate and two local chairmen from key swing counties.

Jefferson County GOP Chairman Don Ytterberg, his Larimer County counterpart Larry Carillo, and Cleve Tidwell, the international businessman who failed to make the ballot in last year’s U.S. Senate Primary, all told The Statesman they have spent the last week pondering whether to run for the state Republican Party’s top job at the March 26 central committee meeting.

Three candidates are already in the running: state Sen. Ted Harvey, R-Highlands Ranch, state party legal counsel Ryan Call, and recent Michigan transplant Barton Baron, who is running on a ticket with Tidwell’s former campaign manager as a vice chair candidate. Call — who chaired the Denver GOP until last weekend’s local party elections, when he declined to seek a second term — jumped into the race a day after Wadhams dropped out. Continue reading →

Ryan Call enters race for Colorado Republican Party chairman

Ryan Call, the former chairman of Denver Republicans and the legal counsel for the state GOP, is running for state party chairman.

Call sent a leader to Republican leaders this afternoon announcing his candidacy now that Dick Wadhams has decided he won’t seek a third term.

Call’s toughest competition is expected to be state Rep. Ted Harvey, of Highlands Ranch, who has been lining up support for weeks.

In his letter, Call talks about why he is running and his background and the divisions in the party Wadhams mentioned when he announced he was dropping his bid.

“One of the strengths of our Party is that we are all a group of principled and independent-minded individuals,” Call said. “That sometimes makes it a challenge to build consensus and agreement, but I believe we need a broad and welcoming Party in order to win elections and govern effectively – the stakes are just too high for us to be divided. ” Continue reading →

Dick Wadhams drops out of state GOP chairman’s race

UPDATE: Ryan Call, the state’s legal counsel said he is “strongly considering” running for chairman.

Dick Wadhams, chairman of the Colorado GOP

Dick Wadhams

Dick Wadhams today unexpectedly dropped his bid for a third term as chairman of the Colorado Republican Party, and said he has no idea what he will do next.

Wadhams said he had the votes but in the last few days got to thinking, “What happens after I win?”

“I have loved being chairman, but I’m tired of the nuts who have no grasp of what the state party’s role is,” he said.

Wadhams last year was alternately accused of meddling in the governor’s race and not interceding in order to make sure the right Republican won. Democrat John Hickenlooper ultimately won the race despite 2010 being a Republican year.

His departure from the race leaves state Sen. Ted Harvey as the strongest contender in the race, although a number of Republicans expect more candidates to run now that Wadhams is out. Among those mentioned: Ryan Call, legal counsel for the GOP.

“I am strongly considering it,” Call said. “Our party needs good leadership and someone who can build consensus.” Continue reading →