Update on Teachers’ Union Complaint

While I plan to blog on this more at length later this week, I wanted to pass on the information about today’s hearing of the complaint by Fort Collins parents Wayne Rutt and Paul Marrick against the teachers’ union.

A good summary update can be found over at “From the Desk of….”

Let me just add these observations of the tedious all-day affair: the CEA / PEA legal team passed up the chance to cross-examine the complainants’ campaign expert Rich Beeson and instead filed another motion to dismiss, mostly on flimsy charges (the judge ruled against them on all but one count). It was a sight to see when Marrick’s and Rutt’s attorney Scott Gessler unloaded both metaphorical barrels on the union’s political expert Craig Hughes.

The key to the case hinges on one basic question: did the teachers’ union (CEA / PEA) communicate with the Bob Bacon campaign about electioneering? The evidence is adding up against the union. As our friends reporting from Fort Collins have pointed out, the hearing will conclude on June 1, as the last few of the respondents’ witnesses (including CEA officials) take the stand and the two sides offer their closing arguments. Stay tuned.