Colorado Senate hopeful 'argumentative' with police at party

DENVER (AP) — Gino Campana, a developer who is running for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate in Colorado, was warned by police that he risked being arrested for obstruction after he became argumentative with them about being cited for a noise violation during his daughter's high school graduation party in 2013, according to police records.

Campana eventually complied with police directives and was cited for unreasonable noise at the party, which saw dozens of teenagers spilling across an upscale neighborhood in the northern Colorado city of Fort Collins. The Campana campaign said the candidate does not recall arguing with police or being warned he might be obstructing their investigation. Police documents show he said the bartenders he hired were checking IDs to thwart underage drinking, but Campana was concerned some youths could still be too drunk to drive home if the party was broken up.

Campana is one of seven candidates vying for the GOP nomination to challenge Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet in November.

“Yes, Gino had a noise complaint," spokesman Jerrod Dobkin said. "When well over 100 Italian family and friends get together, sometimes it gets a little noisy.”

Officer Brandon Barnes arrived at 10:42 p.m. after police received a complaint, heard loud music and spotted trash scattered about and people running from Campana's yard to neighboring ones, according to his report for the citation. He called for additional officers due to the size of the party, which includes an estimated “80-100 juveniles.”

Barnes wrote that Campana approached him and his partner and introduced himself simply as Gino. After the officers explained why they were there, Barnes wrote, “Gino then said that he was Gino Campana, and that he was on the Fort Collins City Council.”...