The story accused my father of beating my mother. That is factually incorrect. If that was correct, then I would have personally destroyed him. My mother owned two businesses in Durango from the early 1970s until 1983. During that time, she was in the public on a daily basis. During that time, she was also the wife of a police officer and a sheriff deputy. In the political arena where my father has spent his career, if his wife was beaten by him, he would have also been destroyed by the chief of police, the county sheriff and numerous political enemies.

The story stated that in 1984 or 1985, the sheriff’s deputies were called to our home to investigate a disturbance. My mother and I lived in Santa Fe, N.M., in 1984 and 1985. The Herald is attempting to manipulate readers by using propaganda techniques. There are non-sequiturs and disassociated facts presented with the story’s trash.

For instance, several times, the story cited unrelated but specific Colorado state law, then made an accusation of an ambiguous abuse of power. Finally, the trash was accompanied by a pair of police reports, which are presented as if they are documented evidence. However, in zeal, the Herald failed to notice that in one of the reports, Duke Schirard was the victim. This story was presented as news, not an editorial. The Durango Herald has printed several incorrect statements. The Durango Herald needs to stop slinging mud and apologize to my mother.

Clinton Schirard

Anchorage, Alaska