Report: Vandalism suspect campaigned for candidate

DENVER — A suspect in a vandalism at the Colorado Democratic headquarters was once a paid campaign worker for a Democratic candidate for the Legislature, according to public records.

Maurice Schwenkler, 24, was arrested in Denver Tuesday on a charge of criminal mischief after windows were smashed at Democratic offices. Many of the windows displayed posters supporting health care reform, and party officials had called it political vandalism.

But the Denver Post reported Wednesday that Schwenkler was paid $500 in November 2008 to walk door to door in support of Democrat Mollie Cullom, a candidate for the state House from Centennial.

Republican David Balmer, who beat Cullom, said he suspects the vandalism might have been intended to make the Republican Party look bad.

“This sounds like the type of Democratic tactic from the left fringe trying to make Republicans look mean-spirited,” Balmer said. “In this case, it blew up in their face.”

Campaign records show Schwenkler was among dozens of canvassers paid by a political committee called the Colorado Citizens’ Coalition.

The Democratic Party estimates the damage at $10,000. A second suspect was still at large.

Schwenkler was also arrested in St. Paul, Minn., on the last day of the 2008 Republican convention on a charge of unlawful assembly.

No details of that arrest or Schwenkler’s activities at the time were immediately available.

There was no phone number listed for Schwenkler and it wasn’t immediately clear if he had an attorney.

Denver Police said they don’t know what motivated the suspects. The headquarters was unoccupied at the time and no injuries were reported.

Information from: The Denver Post, www.denverpost.com