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Political Flyers Make Inflammatory Claims About Recall Attempt

WESTMINSTER, Colo. (CBS4) - Flyers now being placed on doors of some Denver-area homes that claim some of the people collecting signatures for a recall effort are ex-convicts and sex offenders.

The tough political allegation has been made in the attempt to recall State Sen. Evie Hudak, and the door hangers are being passed out in Westminster and Arvada.

WEB EXTRA VIDEO: Sen. Edie Hudak Sits Down With Political Specialist Shaun Boyd 

Republicans started a petition drive to force Hudak out in the spring because of her stance on tougher gun control. Hudak was one of four state lawmakers who were targeted at the time.

Evie Hudak
State Sen. Evie Hudak (credit: CBS)

Two of the other lawmakers -- Sen. Angela Giron and Senate President John Morse -- wound up being successfully recalled last month in the state's first-ever special elections for recalls. Two Republicans were sworn in to replace them.

The effort to force Hudak out failed, but now with last month's success Republicans feel there's momentum on their side and they are making a new attempt.

At a campaign office in Arvada on Wednesday Hudak supporters were organizing in an attempt to try to kill off the new petition drive. The petition to recall Hudak would need nearly 19,000 signatures by early December in order to trigger a special election and recall vote.

The new recall effort is receiving attention from both parties because Democrats currently only hold a one seat majority in the state Senate.

The hangers that are being passed out warn that petition gatherers could be sex predators and criminals with a history of forgery and fraud.

"They are using some scare tactics to make people concerned about even getting involved in the process," said Dave Palm, creator of the website RecallHudak.com. The website was reactived for the second Hudak recall attempt.

"I think it's a cheap shot," Palm said. "I think it's a desperate effort on her part, and I know Evie's probably closely involved in this."

While Hudak didn't respond to CBS4's request to comment on Wednesday, Democrats say Hudak is not connected to the door hangers. However, reliable sources close to the Hudak insist that the claims made on the flyers are actually true.

The door hangers were created by Democracy Defense Fun. Phone calls to their office weren't immediately returned.

Mike McAlpine is directing of effort to recall Hudak. He told CBS4 by phone the hanger statements are lies.

"It was a very intense effort to mischaracterize this movement, and those statements are that they are not factual," he said.

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