The Brennan Files

Never let it be said that I was a woman who interfered with a malevolent man kicking his own ass.

When Rocky Mountain News reporter Charlie Brennan wrote me over one hundred letters in what, I believe, was an attempt to seduce me into giving him vicious gossip for his Swift-boating of Ward Churchill back in 2005, I did not interfere. I patiently let him pour his sleazy heart out for five months and then forwarded the letters for publication on the Internet. Charlie was immediately fired from the Churchill story for bias. He kicked his own ass and I did not interfere.

When Charlie left the now-bankrupt Rocky Mountain News for Fox 31 News, I knew his oily quackery would be broadcast for all to see and shake their heads at in embarrassed wonder. Night after night he kicks his own stumbling, discombobulated ass like a bucking bronco on crack. I did not interfere. The Week In Politics With Charlie Brennan was finally canceled and every month sees Charlie with less and less airtime.

And in Civil Court in Denver County on Thursday, Charlie Brennan pled guilty to Interference with a police officer (case #08GS089868), a charge he incurred at the 3200 block of N. Downing Street June 20, 2008 while covering the shooting of a little girl named Sierra Moore. According to the police sergeant who ticketed him that night, Charlie “deliberately and intentionally yanked up the crime scene tape to cross the crime scene.”

The police officer said this to the prosecuting attorney – and Charlie’s lawyer Craig Skinner – before the trial began Thursday, as Skinner attempted to hustle the city into a less embarrassing judgment than the SCRAM bracelet and house detention Brennan might have faced. Craig Skinner is one of Colorado’s most prominent DUI attorneys and previously has been the legal counsel for Charlie when he faced losing his drivers license over too many traffic violation points (case #B480680). Skinner is also the attorney of record for Charlie’s daughter, who in 2004 faced a domestic violence/misdemeanor violent crime charge (#04M510 – dismissed) and has been sentenced by the Boulder County court to a Level I Alcohol Eval and Treatment program for reckless driving (06T4857)*. Needless to say, Charlie is as much a menace behind the wheel as he is everywhere else. Apparently, it’s a family tradition.

Initially refusing to give his consent to the plea bargain, the police sergeant pointed out that Charlie did not just “put a little bit of a toe across the line. I had to chase him down to ticket him.”

“And he still won’t take responsibility!” the policeman exclaimed in frustration at the bargaining.

Later during the court trial, after Charlie pled guilty and Judge Breese gave him a deferred judgment for one year plus sixteen hours of community service, the prosecuting attorney read the charges again for the record.

She said, “At the 3200 block of North Downing Street, the Defendant deliberately entered a sixty foot section of the crime scene. When a policeman came after the defendant to ticket him Charlie Brennan said ‘I know, I know but I am working for Fox News and I wanted to get to the other side.’”

That Charlie would have such arrogant disregard for the inviolability of a crime scene – especially when the crime has been committed against an eight-year old African-American girl – does not surprise me. What did surprise me was Craig Skinner’s almost desperate pleading with the city and then the judge to have the trial heard in judge’s chambers. The prosecuting attorney was asked by the police why such an unusual request for a hearing in chambers was made. She answered “Because Brennan thinks he’s special.”

Apparently no one else did. The request was denied.

I am still in shock that Charlie and his attorney would imagine my reporting such a threat that they needed to go hide in the judge’s chamber, especially with a judge who the defendant already had been told did not like his attitude. But then again, Charlie has a great deal of trouble controlling his temper, or comporting himself with any class. I would know. After the previous Diversion hearing on December 17, 2008, Charlie spied this reporter outside the court room and came barreling over to stand uncomfortably close to me and demanded that I give him my name. For almost four years and over one hundred letters now, I have steadfastly refused to do so. This enraged Charlie further and he bellowed to his lawyer “THAT’S HER!!!”

Charles was feeling very brave – with his wife not present.

Mr. Skinner and I sized each other up as Charlie jammed an accusatory finger dangerously close to the side of my face. I guess he was trying to be intimidating, but I am not scared off by puff bullies. Of Mr. Skinner I can only say this: he seemed as wearied by Charlie as I am, and I had the impression that the expression on his face meant “We are the only two adults standing here, aren’t we?” Yes, Craig. We are. And you need to get your client on a leash before he does something even more stupid. You know I won’t interfere if he chooses to kick his own ass, right?

The come-apart Charlie had that day in December really was quite strange, especially after he had deliberately chosen to sit right next to me for almost thirty minutes while waiting for the Diversion hearing to begin. We said not a word to each other. Charlie did a crossword puzzle and I wrote in my reporter’s notebook. Wearing a tweed coat and green tie, he stank of a grandfatherly, drugstore cologne that struck me as far too geriatric, even if I did put ten premature years on his face.

Our coming together again in a court room was an anniversary of sorts; it was almost four years to the month that he sat next to me during the Columbus Day parade trials that saw over 280 protestors acquitted of any wrongdoing for blocking the 2004 parade. My impressions of his demeanor became an important part of our long correspondence. Ever the hungry narcissist, he ate it up and The Brennan Files website is the result.

When the court finally called Charlie’s name to begin the Diversion hearing, he stood and crossed in front of me. As he did so, Brennan turned to look down at me as I gazed calmly and deeply up into his eyes. I almost wish I had not. Never have I seen a man look at me with eyes that wounded, conveying all at once great sorrow, great anger, and a desperate plea for help. It looked as if his very soul had been torn to ribbons and was bleeding profusely.

Well cry me a river! I mean, gee Charlie, what did you think was going to happen? You know I cannot interfere if you choose to kick your own ass. These are your consequences. I’ve done nothing wrong. And if you are going to look at me that way, don’t you think your wife, who has attended none of these trials, ought to know? I do.

Someday I will share here on this website the ten, previously unpublished letters that started this long, ugly journey with Charlie. Let it be said for now that in these letters rage’oholic Charlie lost his temper when I dared to challenge the racist motivation behind his first round of Ward Churchill stories. That brief correspondence quickly spiraled into Charlie becoming completely unhinged, and he ended it with an angry and arrogant “I hope you can find some other way to amuse yourself.”

Well, Charles. I did.

And as the judge warned you today, if you cannot control yourself for the next year and stay out of trouble with the law, you could be facing some serious jail time. The judge claimed that he would remove your guilty plea and expunge the record if you behave. I doubt seriously that you will be able to control your juvenile behavior for three hundred sixty five days, and I fully expect to see you in court again soon soon. If not, well, the record of your guilt will remain here for all to read for a very long time.

Oh yes Mr. Brennan, you will kick your own ass again. And I will not interfere.

You can count on it.

*Court Records for the Brennan crime family can be found here by entering the case numbers from the story: Denver County Court Cases and Boulder County Public Reports.