Reality Check

Polis' New 60 Second Ad Gets A Reality Check

DENVER (CBS4) ― Democratic congressional candidate Jared Polis has a new political ad that's a whopping 60 seconds long. It begins with mostly biographical information.

AD: A Colorado success story. he started his first business at the age of 16.

Commentary: According to the campaign, Jared Polis' first company was called JPS International Scrap.

AD: (He) created 300 jobs before he was 30.

Commentary: The claims are true. Polis is an entrepreneur who's made a fortune putting together Internet based businesses, making them successful, and then selling them for big profits.

Sourcing: The Polis campaign released this list of companies that Polis started in support of the the claim that he created 33 jobs:

American Information Systems, bluemountain.com, Nabil's, Academy of Urban Learning, Jovian Holdings, ProFlowers, Sonora Entertainment Group, New America Schools, Jared Polis Foundation, and Jovian P4.

AD: Then dedicated himself to making Colorado a better place to live. He founded good schools to keep children from falling through the cracks. Salutes our best teachers with grants and uses his success to enhance our future by giving scholarships to worthy students.

Commentary: This claim is true. Polis founded charter schools for immigrant kids; he's given grants to teachers and scholarships to students; and chaired the state board of education.

Sourcing: Polis founded the New America Schools in September 2004, which operates at three campuses throughout the Denver area, and one campus in Eagle, CO. He also co-founded the Academy of Urban Learning in September 2005, which operates in partnership with Urban Peak. The Jared Polis Foundation has awarded 45 grants to local, outstanding teachers, and an additional 45 grants to local schools through the organization's annual Teacher Recognition Awards.

Commentary: But it's not the whole story. He's also done some other things not mentioned in the ad. For example, he was the money guy behind Amendment 41, the well intentioned but poorly written ethics in government measure that bars lobbyists from giving gifts to lawmakers. The problem is it has also created a host of unintended consequences that legislators and the courts are still trying to work out.

Ad Continues: Now he's ready to fight for all of us left behind by the failed policies of George Bush and the Republicans, universal health care, ending the Iraq war, tough laws to reduce global warming.

Commentary: These are campaign promises. Polis supports a universal health care program that would look something like an expanded Medicare style system. As for the Iraq war, Polis, says he's opposed the war all along. As for 'tough laws on global warming' Polis favors a carbon cap and trade system.

Sourcing: (Polis campaign manager Robert Becker) for more information see the Polis campaign website http://www.polisforcongress.com/

Ad Continues: Jared Polis, not just a new direction, he'll be a different kind of congressman. Washington needs leaders who turn ideas into change, and he knows how to do it

Commentary: Bottom line, it's a pretty straightforward ad. Polis tells you who he is and what he would do if elected.

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