A press release late last week provided to the Colorado Democratic Party by a former employee of a Denver political campaign pegged the tiny town of Maybell as a “white supremacist enclave that is a breeding ground for racist activities,” with historical ties to “Nazi supporters.”

The release from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, La Raza, the League of Women Voters, among other groups also suggested that “Maybell-based white supremacist supporters” coerced Colorado Secretary of State Donetta Davidson into holding a news conference Tuesday along with election officials from around the state in opposition to Amendment 30. The amendment is a ballot question that will be voted on in November that proposes to eliminate Colorado’s 30-day cutoff for voter registration.

Dave Minshall, communications director for the “Yes on 30” campaign, said chances don’t look good for pulling votes from Maybell.

“Not very many,” Minshall laughed.

Minshall, reading a prepared statement, said the campaign didn’t authorize anyone to pass on the release. He also said it did not have knowledge about the activities of Mike Huttner, a Denver lawyer hired by the campaign who passed the release to Democrats.

Huttner was fired Sunday, Minshall said.

“We don’t think what has happened has any place in politics, and that’s not the way we do business,” Minshall said.

Huttner was hired as a “senior consultant” to the campaign, Minshall said, but wouldn’t elaborate on Huttner’s specific duties.

Still, Melona Upshaw, with the Denver chapter of the NAACP, reportedly defended the release, pointing to a Web site http://www.maybell.org she said shows Maybell to be racist.

The site’s creator rejects such charges against the community or the Web site, yet regrets the unwanted attention.

But the Rev. Larry Spalding makes no other apologies.

“What are we going to do, invite the NAACP to Maybell?” asked Spalding, who built the site about a year ago.

“I’m not a racist, but that doesn’t mean damage hasn’t been done to Maybell.”

The site is critical of federal Bureau of Land Management policy across various Northwest Colorado locations, and names a satirical “Heinrich Himmler Award” to the federal workers.

“It’s because they act like Nazis,” Spalding said.

Too harsh?

“Ask a Jew who lived in Germany in 1936 that question,” he replied.

Spalding said he created the Web site to pay back the community for support he and his family received after his son, Jason, became ill. He designed pages for numerous Maybell businesses and organizations.

Maybell has been his home for 18 years, he said.

“These people will give you the shirt off their back and do anything for you,” he said.

Spalding, a lay minister, urged forgiveness.

“We’re better people than that,” he said.

But around Maybell, people are still angry and want answers.

“I can’t believe anyone would say that,” said Maybell’s Kathey Ogle.

Neither Upshaw nor Huttner returned phone calls seeking comment.

Paul Shockley can be reached at 824-7031 or at pshockley@craigdailypress.com