Sept 1 - GOP Prosecutors Denounce Trailhead Attack Ad
Colorado Fraternal Order of Police endorses Ritter as tough crime-fighter
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Bill Ritter and Republican prosecutors from around Colorado today denounced the latest attack on Ritter's record as Denver District Attorney. The attack was launched last night in the form of a new 30-second TV spot paid for by the Trailhead Group.
"My record as a prosecutor is crystal clear: Our office won a conviction in 95 percent of the felony cases we filed," said Ritter, who today was endorsed by the Colorado Fraternal Order of Police for his commitment to public safety and crime-fighting. "We sent more than 12,000 criminals -- murderers, rapists, violent gang members, and other habitual offenders -- to prison. These aren't numbers that I brag about, but they also aren't numbers that I apologize for. We protected the public and this latest ad is not just an attack on my record, but on Colorado's entire law enforcement community."
"The voters of Colorado deserve and should demand honesty from those running for office and those engaging in the political arena," said Ritter, who was appointed District Attorney during Denver's "Summer of Violence" in 1993.
Ritter said the Trailhead spot perpetuates inaccuracies that the organization and Congressman Beauprez have been spreading via news releases, websites, mail pieces, and radio ads for months.
The TV spot makes several false or misleading allegations. Here are the facts:
- The ad claims Ritter avoided seeking the death penalty. Ritter requested the death penalty seven times, more than any other D.A. during the same period, against the following murderers: Jon Morris (1995); Jacques Richardson (1997); Nathan Thill (1997); Omar Ramirez (1998); Cong Van Phan (1999); Donta Paige (1999); and Abe Hagos(1999).
- The ad claims that while crime rates across the country declined, Denver's murder rate increased when Ritter was D.A. In 1992, the year before Ritter was appointed, Denver's murder rate was 19.3 per 100,000 people. The average rate over the course of his 12-year tenure was 12 per 100,000 -- 38 percent less than the 1992 rate.
- In 1992, Denver's overall crime rate was 8,378 crimes per 100,000 people. The average rate during his 12-year tenure was 6,119 per 100,000 -- 27 percent less than the 1992 rate.
- In 1992, Denver's violent crime rate was 1,076 per 100,000 people. The average rate during his 12-year tenure was 701 per 100,000 -- 35 percent less than the 1992 rate.
- In 1992, Denver's burglary rate was 1,806 per 100,000 people. The average rate during his 12-year tenure was 1,272 per 100,000 -- 30 percent less than the 1992 rate.
- In 1992, Denver's forcible rape rate was 89 per 100,000 people. The average rate during during his 12-year tenure was 60 per 100,000 – 32 percent less than the 1992 rate.
- The national plea-bargain rate is 95 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Ritter’s rate from 1993 to 2005 was about 97 percent, in line with national figures. (All figures cited above are from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Statistics.)
Ritter noted that Pete Coors, one of Trailhead’s principals, recently accepted a plea-bargain deal on a drunken-driving case. "Plea bargain deals are good enough for Pete Coors, but no one else?" Ritter asked. "Seems like Trailhead is trying to have it both ways."
Ritter also noted this recent comment from 4th Judicial District (El Paso and Teller counties) Republican District Attorney John Newsome:
"If you don’t have the ability to plea bargain, the whole system collapses,” said Newsome. “We handled 50,000 cases in this office last year and if we didn’t have plea bargaining there wouldn’t be any cop on the street, there would be no courts, all the judges would be doing nothing but criminal cases — there’s simply not enough physical space, time or hours in the day or weeks in the year. Physically you couldn’t do it.” (ColoradoConfidential.com, Aug. 27, 2006)
"These types of distortions are uncalled for and I won’t stand for them," Ritter said. "The Rocky Mountain News has already criticized Trailhead for its ‘sleazy’ tactics and at least two of its radio ads have been pulled from the airwaves."
Two Republican DA’s condemned the new Trailhead TV ad today.
"Any person who attempts to portray Bill Ritter as soft on crime or manipulate his record as into anything other than outstanding exhibits a disturbing ignorance of the criminal justice system and a clear inability to even enter the discussion on public safety issues," said Tom Raynes, the District Attorney in Western Colorado’s 7th Judicial District. "This type of reckless attack is not merely disingenuous, but is a flat-out intentional attempt to deceive the voters of this state. Bill Ritter is admired and respected by prosecutors all over Colorado and throughout the nation for what he achieved as Denver's DA and as a statewide and national leader in the prosecution community. Bill Ritter's record is one of action and decision-making in difficult situations. In short, he is a smart, tough, and honest leader."
Added Bonnie Roesink, District Attorney in Northern Colorado’s 14th Judicial District (Grand, Moffat, and Routt counties): "These types of campaign-advertising tactics are typical of Washington-style politics. Bill Ritter earned a national reputation as an innovative leader who created programs that still serve as models across Colorado and the country. He fought violent crime, drug crimes, and crimes against senior citizens. He kept the people of Colorado safe and he’ll do the same thing for all of the people of Colorado."
Click here to see a list of Colorado law enforcement officials supporting Ritter.
Read additional articles commentary on Bill's record as a tough crimefighter:
- ColoradoConfidential.com: Sept 5 - Biting the Bullet
- ColoradoConfidential.com: Sept 3 - Dem Party Chair Sends Trailhead Complaint to Denver DA
- ColoradoLib.com: Sept 3 - Ritter vs. the Trailhead Group
- ColoradoLib.com: Sept 1 - Bill Ritter wins police endorsement
- ColoradoLib.com: Beauprez scrambles for nicknames, relevance
- ColoradoLib.com: Anti-Ritter ads clutch at straws
- Denver Post: Sept 5 - Attacks on Ritter called misleading ... stats show his DA record of prison for felons is higher than the national average
- Denver Post: Aug. 25 - Ritter rebuts claim he's easy on crime
- Rocky Mountain News: Aug. 26 - What Ritter said - and meant: No softie on crime
- Rocky Mountain News: Aug . 24 - Ritter camp to group's accusation: nonsense
- Rocky Mountain News: Aug. 18 - Craig Silverman Speakout: Campaign ad unfairly maligns Ritter
- Squarestate.net: Lies Get Trailhead Group Ad Pulled
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