A Colorado Springs signature collection firm is speaking out, after after Republican gubernatorial candidate Walker Stapleton accused the firm of lying to him.
Kennedy Enterprises was hired to collect signatures for both Stapleton and Congressman Doug Lamborn.
Stapleton says the firm lied about one of the petition circulators, who lives out of state–which is a violation of state election law.
This week, he withdrew his ballot petition and will try and get on the primary ballot through the Republican assembly this weekend.
The president of Kennedy Enterprises, Dan Kennedy, released this statement on Wednesday:
"My firm, Kennedy Enterprises LLC has operated in Colorado for 24 years, serving dozens of clients with the utmost integrity, while doing our very best to assure each and every one of our independent contractors collect signatures according to all the laws. Most of the folks on both side of the political isle can attest to this fact!
Concerning this particular occasion:
Approximately a month ago the Stapleton campaign inquired of me regarding a particular situation. Directly after that conversation I relayed this inquiry to the appropriate subcontractor of Kennedy Enterprises who researched this and reported information to me which I believed to be true and I passed on that information to the Stapleton campaign and the Colorado Secretary of State.
Monday evening, April 9, 2018 when presented with some new information from the Stapleton campaign I inquired again to the subcontractor who, again looked into this matter and reported to me that I had previously been misled. I immediately reported this new information to the Stapleton campaign.
Therefore, I have not and did not lie to any of my clients or the Colorado Secretary of State at any time.
And to the best of my knowledge the signatures collected on the Stapleton campaign we’re all collected lawfully.
I hold the Stapleton campaign, as well as all of my clients with the utmost regard and regret this apparent misunderstanding.
Sincerely, Dan Kennedy"
We attempted to contact Kennedy for an interview, but our calls were not returned.
News5 also went to the two addresses listed for Kennedy Enterprises LLC, in Colorado Springs, but the business did not exist at either address.
For a link to their website, click here.
