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Loveland - Oct. 25, 2007
Lovelandpolitics readers noticed something peculiar about people
holding signs out on Taft Avenue for City Council candidate Jan
Brown and Mayoral candidate Gene Pielin. Instead of waving at
passing cars like most volunteers, they appeared tired and bored.
Unlike most candidates and their volunteers who hold signs near
busy intersections, these people just didn't look the part. In fact,
the person holding the Pielin sign appeared more interested in the
corner store where he disappeared to a number of times.
LovelandPolitics staff stopped to inquire with the sign holders
why they appeared so unenthusiastic. The man in the photo
holding the Vote for Jan Brown sign, who declined to give his
name, said he was not a campaign volunteer but was paid to hold
the sign near the intersection. Asked if he was well paid, he
answered, "not really."
Brown and Pielin are both avid supporters of McWhinney and
have been rewarded for their support in previous campaigns with
large campaign contributions.
According to a national press story regarding the unproven
accusation that Clinton's campaign had paid sign wavers stated,
"Crowd-building is an age-old campaign technique, but while
importing supporters from elsewhere is OK in the unofficial
campaign handbook, as is luring them with free food and chum
like signs and T-shirts (kind of like what's going on here at the
Clinton debate party), flat-out paying them with cold, hard cash is
seen as cheating."
Lovelandpolitics readers noticed something peculiar about people
holding signs out on Taft Avenue for City Council candidate Jan
Brown and Mayoral candidate Gene Pielin. Instead of waving at
passing cars like most volunteers, they appeared tired and bored.
Unlike most candidates and their volunteers who hold signs near
busy intersections, these people just didn't look the part. In fact,
the person holding the Pielin sign appeared more interested in the
corner store where he disappeared to a number of times.
LovelandPolitics staff stopped to inquire with the sign holders
why they appeared so unenthusiastic. The man in the photo
holding the Vote for Jan Brown sign, who declined to give his
name, said he was not a campaign volunteer but was paid to hold
the sign near the intersection. Asked if he was well paid, he
answered, "not really."
Brown and Pielin are both avid supporters of McWhinney and
have been rewarded for their support in previous campaigns with
large campaign contributions.
According to a national press story regarding the unproven
accusation that Clinton's campaign had paid sign wavers stated,
"Crowd-building is an age-old campaign technique, but while
importing supporters from elsewhere is OK in the unofficial
campaign handbook, as is luring them with free food and chum
like signs and T-shirts (kind of like what's going on here at the
Clinton debate party), flat-out paying them with cold, hard cash is
seen as cheating."
| Jan Brown |
| Loveland Commercial sponser of Jan Brown's campaign coaches her during break at candidate forum. |
| Councilwoman Jan Brown |
| Candidates Pielin and Brown Found to be Paying People Just to Hold Their Signs |