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Congressman Threatens Couple -- Over Letter to Editor
Editor & Publisher ^ | 9/2/07 | E&P Staff

Posted on 09/03/2007 3:54:27 PM PDT by Roberts

NEW YORK A couple who wrote a letter to the editor of a small community paper in Colorado were surprised to receive a threatening phone call at home complaining about it -- from a U.S. congressman.

Rep. Doug Lamborn left two voice mails after they questioned his acceptance of campaign contributions from the gambling industry. In one he said there would be "consequences" if the couple did not respond. In his messages, reprinted by the Denver Post today, Lamborn appeal to them as "brothers and sisters in Christ" and asked them to call him to discuss their "blatantly false" letter.

Jonathan Bartha is employed by the group Focus on the Family. "His wife, a board member of Falcon School District 49, worked for two months as a scheduler for candidate Jeff Crank during a bitter, six-way Republican primary race for the 5th Congressional District seat," the Post observed.

"We felt very threatened and intimidated, and quite frankly, scared," Anna Bartha told the Post. "It was just not anything we would ever anticipate an elected official would pursue or a way that an elected official would conduct himself."

When asked what he meant when he said there would be "consequences," Lamborn told the Post: "When someone tells a lie, it just has bad consequences."

But the Post noted: "Three days after leaving the messages on the Barthas' voice mail, Lamborn wrote an open letter to Greg Garcia, chair of the El Paso County Republicans, asking him to investigate."

The following is a text of two voice messages that Lamborn left, as published by the Post.

* FIRST MESSAGE: "Hello, this is Doug Lamborn calling for either Jonathan or Anna. Something very serious has happened. There was a letter to the editor that you both put in your names to the editor of the Woodmen Edition and there is something that is blatantly false in that letter.

"I would like to get together with you and show this to you and appeal to you as a brother and sister in Christ. You didn't give me that opportunity but I am happy to overlook that and deal with you on that level because I think that is the right thing to do and show you where you made a blatant, wrong statement.

"Now there are consequences to this kind of thing, but I would like to work with you in a way that is best for everyone here concerned. So please call me at your earliest convenience. It is now 2:40 (p.m.) on Saturday afternoon.

SECOND MESSAGE: "Hello, this is Doug Lamborn again, I'm finishing up my message from a moment ago. I got cut off. It is critical that you get back to me as soon as possible on this because I'll be going back to Washington here in a few days and I have to make sure that this is resolved one way or another. And like I said I'd rather resolve this on a Scriptural level but if you are unwilling to do that I will be forced to take other steps, which I would rather not have to do. So please call me. This is essential. Call me by tonight, Saturday night and we can get together sometime Sunday afternoon."


TOPICS: Miscellaneous; US: Colorado
KEYWORDS: 110th; douglamborn; lamborn; lawsuit; libel
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Charming.
1 posted on 09/03/2007 3:54:29 PM PDT by Roberts
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To: Roberts

That isn’t a threat.


2 posted on 09/03/2007 3:55:50 PM PDT by Loud Mime (The Democrats next target for "resignation" is General David Petraeus! Air America started 8-28)
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To: Roberts

Doesn’t sound threatening to me.


3 posted on 09/03/2007 3:56:47 PM PDT by Columbine
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To: Roberts

I don’t think I saw any party designation for the Congressman......shall we all take a guess?


4 posted on 09/03/2007 3:56:58 PM PDT by trimom
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To: Loud Mime

It will be after the Dems get through spinning it.


5 posted on 09/03/2007 3:57:38 PM PDT by wayoverthehill
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To: trimom
AKA Douglas L. Lamborn

Born: 24-May-1954
Birthplace: Leavenworth, KS

Gender: Male
Religion: Protestant
Race or Ethnicity: White
Occupation: Politician
Party Affiliation: Republican

Nationality: United States
Executive summary: Congressman, Colorado 5th

Father: Robert Lamborn
Mother: Madeline Brockman Lamborn (d.)
Brother: Bobby
Wife: Jeanie (four sons, one daughter)
Daughter: Eve

6 posted on 09/03/2007 3:59:13 PM PDT by martin_fierro (< |:)~)
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To: Roberts

Sounds like a threat to me.


7 posted on 09/03/2007 3:59:27 PM PDT by Scotsman will be Free (11C - Indirect fire, infantry - High angle hell - We will bring you, FIRE)
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To: trimom

He’s a Pub.


8 posted on 09/03/2007 4:00:28 PM PDT by acapesket (never had a vote count in all my years here)
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To: trimom

Pubbie...this article was discussed earlier. :)


9 posted on 09/03/2007 4:00:33 PM PDT by alice_in_bubbaland (I will respect illegal aliens civil rights, when they respect the sovereignty of the US!)
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To: trimom
I don’t think I saw any party designation for the Congressman......shall we all take a guess?

Republican.

10 posted on 09/03/2007 4:01:05 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum (Islam is a religion of peace, and Muslims reserve the right to kill anyone who says otherwise.)
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To: Roberts
And like I said I'd rather resolve this on a Scriptural level but if you are unwilling to do that I will be forced to take other steps, which I would rather not have to do.

Cooperate, for the love of God. You cannot refuse this offer.

11 posted on 09/03/2007 4:01:28 PM PDT by Petronski (Cleveland Indians: Pennant -20)
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To: Roberts

Charming, indeed. Lamborn was far from being my first choice for the 5th CD ... precisely because this is the kind of stuff he does.


12 posted on 09/03/2007 4:02:12 PM PDT by r9etb
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To: trimom

Lamborn replaced Joel Hefley in the 5th Congressional District in Colorado Springs. You know, the town where Focus on the Family is based.

They have a hate-filled rag called the Colorado Springs Independent, one of whose writers is the sister of Diana DeGette, who replaced Pat Schroeder as Denver’s liberal congresswoman.

They are chomping at the bit to defame the republicans. They’re typical loony lefties like you see on DU... Garbage with the conceit of a Dauphin.


13 posted on 09/03/2007 4:02:49 PM PDT by Loud Mime (The Democrats next target for "resignation" is General David Petraeus! Air America started 8-28)
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To: Roberts
No doubt the letter writers are liberals.

They've got the whole make an accusation ... then play the victim role down pat.

"We felt very threatened and intimidated, and quite frankly, scared," Anna Bartha told the Post. "It was just not anything we would ever anticipate an elected official would pursue or a way that an elected official would conduct himself."

Unless I heard the audio, knew that it was the Congressman's voice, I'd chock this up to a pathetic bid for attention.

14 posted on 09/03/2007 4:03:29 PM PDT by xtinct (I was the next door neighbor kid's imaginary friend.)
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To: r9etb

Sounds like you know the situation, so I ask:

Lamborn stated their letter to the editor was false. Did Lamborn accept money from gambling interests, as they charged?


15 posted on 09/03/2007 4:06:33 PM PDT by tsomer
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To: trimom

He is a Republican. I am sure this as so many assualts right now are being put out by the dimwits.


16 posted on 09/03/2007 4:06:50 PM PDT by freekitty (May the eagles long fly over our beautiful and free American sky.)
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To: Roberts

No indication as to what they wrote and whether or not it is true or blatantly false as he claims. If the statements are demonstrably false, then I approve of his approach. If they are true then it looks like he is trying to intimidate them.


17 posted on 09/03/2007 4:07:27 PM PDT by joshhiggins (O you who believe! do not take the MUSLIMS for friends)
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To: Scotsman will be Free

Sounds like a threat of legal action. That is not an illegal threat.


18 posted on 09/03/2007 4:08:14 PM PDT by JLS
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To: r9etb

Word has it, Jeff Crank is challenging him in the primary again. Is Crank a viable candidate this time?


19 posted on 09/03/2007 4:09:12 PM PDT by Clintonfatigued (Illegal aliens commit crimes that Americans won't commit)
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To: Loud Mime

yep....this was discussed and pursued to its end a few hrs ago on this thread:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1890523/posts

That aside, check out this OTHER DeGette-person who writes endless articles about Lamborn in the “colorado confidential”:
http://www.coloradoconfidential.com/tag.do?tag=Doug+Lamborn


20 posted on 09/03/2007 4:10:06 PM PDT by Vn_survivor_67-68
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