Thirty-Five Years Ago This Week: “The local officer or employee whose principal employment is … financed in whole or part by federal money cannot be a candidate for public elective office in a partisan election,” wrote county attorney Lyle Decant in a memo to Mesa County commissioners.

According to Decant’s interpretation, two Republican candidates for Mesa County Sheriff would be ineligible to run: Sheriff investigator Reicke Claussen and Deputy District Attorney Rick Wagner who were paid in part with federal funds.

“I’m concerned both as a lawyer and as head of the Republican Party in Mesa County,” said Carroll Multz. “I have read the opinion and have serious reservations about the conclusion Mr. Denchant reached. In order to run they would have to resign their job or take a leave of absence or withdraw their candidacy. Such an interpretation of the Hatch Act would discourage people … with recent hands-on experience in a particular office from running.”

The executive director of the County Sheriff’s Association, John Hammerzell, said the issue rarely crops up in elections now because so few departments received federal funding.

“Eleven counties in the state are participating in a drug interdiction program with $30,000 in federal funds attached,” Hammerzell said. “But each department gets very little of that money. Some of the money has been used to pay employee overtime for work on drugs cases.”

Since its passage in 1939, the Hatch Act had gone through several changes, but its purpose remained the same — to ensure that federal employees were free from political coercion, able to to administer federal programs in a non-partisan manner and that employees were advanced based on merit and not by political affiliation.

Fifteen Years Ago: Former Lieutenant Gov. Jane Norton made a controversial decision to forgo the traditional caucus-assembly method and decided instead to petition onto the ballot for the U.S. Senate race.

“Jane Norton was with me at the state convention in 2002, 2004 and 2006 and I have every confidence she would perform admirably at the state convention this year,” said former Gov. Bill Owens. “But each election is different, and clearly Michael Bennet’s decision to petition on has changed the game. This is a smart move that gives Republicans the best shot at victory in November.”

Former U.S. Senator Hank Brown and Republican National Committeeman Mark Hillman expressed their support for Norton.

“Jane Norton had my full support from the beginning, and that support continues today and on into November,” said Brown.

But a fly found its way into the ointment in the form of longtime Republican campaign consultant Walt Klein, who was working for Weld County District Attorney Ken Buck’s senatorial campaign – a Norton challenger in the primary election.

Klein told The Colorado Statesman he didn’t believe the public explanation that Norton was trying top keep up with Sen. Michael Bennet, who announced that he would be soliciting petition signatures in addition to going through the state assembly.

“Bennet made her do it?” Klein said. “I may be dumb but not stupid. It’s an insult. Then again if you’re a big shot, I suppose, they think they can write the rules of the game.”

Klein said that the behavior of other candidates wouldn’t change the Buck campaign strategy.

“In the weeks leading up to the caucuses Ken was connecting very well with supporters,” Klein said. “Norton has been on a months-long downward spiral. It shows that if a candidate cannot connect with the voters, it doesn’t matter how much money they have.”

Rachael Wright is the author of several novels including The Twins of Strathnaver, with degrees in Political Science and History from Colorado Mesa University, and is a contributing writer to Colorado Politics, the Colorado Springs Gazette and the Denver Gazette.