This could possibly be the worst case of plagiarism in politics, yet. The Denver Post has uncovered a $300,000 case of it in GOP gubernatorial candidate Scott McInnis's past.

Although GOP gubernatorial candidate Scott McInnis presented his "Musings on Water" for publication as original works, portions are identical and nearly identical to an essay on water written 20 years earlier by now-Colorado Supreme Court Justice Gregory J. Hobbs. A Clemson University expert who reviewed McInnis' work next to Hobbs' essay called it a clear case of plagiarism of both words and ideas. McInnis' water articles were a required part of his two-year fellowship at the Hasan Family Foundation in 2005 and 2006. The former congressman, who left office in 2004, was paid $300,000 to do speaking engagements and "research and write a monthly article on water issues that can be distributed to media and organizations as well as be available on the Internet." Totaling 150 pages over 23 installments, the articles discussing state water policy are devoid of footnotes, endnotes or other forms of attribution.

One of those installments has four full pages that are "nearly reprinted verbatim" from the Hobbs essay. McInnis isn't commenting, but his spokesperson says he recognizes there are similarities, "but blamed a researcher." A researcher who was involved despite the fact that Foundation granting him fellowship stipulated that the work was intended to be done "solely by Mr. McInnis, and not in concert with anyone else," according to a statement from the Hasan Family Foundation.

So he took $300,000 to steal someone else's work, and then blames the theft on someone else, despite the fact that the only name that appeared on McInnis's work was his own. How Republican of him.