It is not illegal for a candidate to pay himself a salary (with campaign money) while campaigning, but it is very rare. What is illegal is for a candidate *not* to pay himself a salary with campaign money (so as not to have to pay income tax) but then claim phony “reimbursements” in order to use campaign funds for personal use. From the information in the article, Maes did the latter.
Maes appears to be a liar and a conman, and I hope that Colorado conservatives don’t throw the election to the ultraliberal Democrat John Hickenlooper by voting for Maes instead of for Tom Tancredo.
You don't want to sound like those crazoids all upset about indigent women not paying income taxes on alimony and childsupport they'd never received from their runaway husbands (who filed income tax statements that said they'd paid it).
Maes is easily dealt with on the issues. As far as character goes aren't all these pukes crooks and conmen anyway? Like that's never been anything to hold against any particular candidate.
I think in the future Republicans in Colorado should straighten up their act and figure out if they want to be a party, or just go to a party.