Dear Editor:

The carryover page headline – “Pitco Republicans spent $17K during campaign” – and the portion of the related article in the Aspen Daily News of Oct. 13, 2010, on Pitkin County Republicans’ expenditures over the last year were grossly misleading. The headline and the article imply that we have spent a large amount of money on activities relating to the 2010 elections when nothing could be further from the truth.

If the article were to be believed, the “campaign” started a year ago, beginning Nov. 1, 2009, about eight months before our candidates were even chosen in the Aug. 10 primaries, and our expenditures have been for campaign activities. Since the primaries, we paid bills totaling approximately $3,000, of which only $131 was for expenditures incurred after the primaries. And, as many folks in the Roaring Fork Valley will appreciate who have attended our events, a large portion of our expenditures have been for room rental, refreshments and advertising to the public for events featuring well-known speakers on a variety of current topics. These events are open to the public regardless of political affiliation.

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In addition to the public events we’ve sponsored, our expenditures relate to such typical party activities as the traditional Lincoln Day Dinner in early March, the Republican float in the July Fourth Parade, the Pitkin County Republicans Night at the Snowmass Village Rodeo, and our biennial caucuses and county assembly, which we are required by law to hold. Some of our expenditures are offset by attendance fees and donations related to the event, a fact not reflected in the article in question.

We have encouraged and will continue to encourage members of the public, including the press, to attend our events. We’re proud of our outreach activities.

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Frieda Wallison

Pitkin County Republican chair, Old Snowmass