McInnis apologizes privately for his plagiarism

Republican gubernatorial candidate Scott McInnis is making private apologies to a Colorado judge for lifting parts of his work for a series of essays McInnis passed off as his own.

McInnis had no immediate plans for a public apology after a Denver newspaper and TV station reported the plagiarism in essays about water rights.

A McInnis spokesman acknowledged the plagiarism and says McInnis was trying to reach the original author, Colorado Supreme Court Justice Gregory Hobbs.

McInnis' challenger, Dan Maes, told a conservative radio host Tuesday that McInnis should "man up" about the plagiarism. And a foundation that paid McInnis for the essays says it may seek a refund.