College degree inaccuracy in new mail ad for Colorado Springs City council candidate
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- A campaign manager is taking "full responsibility" for inaccurate information printed on a campaign mailer sent out for candidate Michelle Talarico. Talarico is vying for the open city council seat in District 3.
Despite telling 13 Investigates on Wednesday that she wasn't a graduate of Colorado College, mail advertisements from the District 3 candidate's campaign team arrived in voters' mailboxes on Friday, labeling Talarico as a graduate of the prestigious liberal arts college in Colorado Springs.
Multiple Colorado publications have said she earned a bachelor’s degree from Colorado College. However, a report from National Student Clearinghouse, first revealed Talarico attended Colorado College from 1982 to 1984, but never received a bachelor's degree.
"The mail piece had already gone before the mistake was realized. It could not be recalled," Talarcio said over email on Saturday.
Talarico further explained it's similar to a mistake of a different campaign earlier this year. She referenced an example of a mayoral candidate inaccurately, saying a former sheriff was endorsing the candidate.
Sarah Brittan Jack, Talarcio's campaign manager, says the information on the mailer was from an endorsement article written by the local newspaper.
"It was designed two weeks in advance. I take full responsibility," Talarico's campaign manager Sarah Brittain Jack said.
13 Investigates sat down one-on-one with Talarico earlier this week to give her an opportunity to respond to allegations from a local political action group, Integrity Matters, that said Talarico misrepresented her educational background and plagiarized on a candidate survey. You can watch the interview here.
The Gazette newspaper, Mayor John Suthers, Former Councilman Richard Skorman, Norwood Development CEO Chris Jenkins, and several other well-known people in the Colorado Springs area have endorsed Talarico in the upcoming Tuesday election.
Talarcio's only opponent for the council seat in District 3 is Scott Hiller.
The Colorado Springs City election is on April 4.
