Anyone who has been to a karaoke bar or watched the first episode of an "American Idol" season knows all too well that some people are simply tone deaf. Colorado Springs residents are getting that feeling as they follow the coverage of the Independent Ethics Commission's investigation into conflict-of-interest allegations against Mayor Lionel Rivera regarding the deal between the city, the Unites States Olympic Committee and local developer Ray Marshall.

The mayor has been largely silent on the matter, citing the investment industry's confidentiality rules. What Rivera has said seems to indicate that he's unable to see the situation from the viewpoint of people without insider knowledge. Many of those folks believe his protestations of innocence are naïve at best. He seems to forget the adage that in politics, perception is reality. In this case, the perception is that someone who has had business dealings with a developer should not have been involved in discussions involving that developer and the city. That looks like a conflict of interest.