I love Stacey “The Stegger” Stegman as much as the next person, but is it wise for a state employee to talk trash someone who is running for governor?

Stern messages and signs

Maes has not been afraid to make brash statements as he seeks the state’s highest office.

Officials at the Colorado Department of Transportation chafed when Maes recently was quoted as saying the agency was spending federal stimulus dollars on vacations and payroll rather than on transit improvements.

“That’s not true,” said Stacey Stegman, spokeswoman for CDOT, who sent off an e-mail Tuesday to Maes asking him to check with her before making inaccurate statements.

UPDATE: Stacey told me she thought this post was unfair, and after reviewing the actual email she sent to the Maes campaign, I have to agree. Her email, which is below, was professional and contained none of the trash talk I inferred from the Post article:

On behalf of CDOT, I wanted to address some of the public comments that have been made regarding how we have spent federal transportation dollars. The Recovery Act was very specific on how funds can/cannot be spent and how they must be accounted for. CDOT has been a model state of accountability through numerous state and federal audits. In an effort to help provide you with accurate information, I just wanted to open the line of communication to you. I’m always willing to verify information for you so that you aren’t put in the position of making incorrect comments and we aren’t put in the position of having to dispute the same.

Regards,

Stacey Stegman
Director of Public Information
CDOT