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GOP Power Brokers Seek To Manipulate the Primary

DENVER – As the controversy surrounding Former Congressman Scott McInnis' admittance of plagiarism continues to unfold, Republican power brokers attempt to influence the primary. In response, Pat Waak, Chair of the Colorado Democratic Party released the following statement:

"Candidates come and go, but the democratic process endures. And even if candidates for high office are shown to lack integrity, the integrity of the ballot is -- or should be -- important to every one of us regardless of party affiliation.

"That is why I am concerned about reports that an effort may be underway to replace disgraced gubernatorial candidate Scott McInnis, with a stand-in who would be able to collect his primary votes in the upcoming August 10 primary. Whether he stays in the race or not, elites in the Republican Party are trying to circumvent the will of their own party faithful to taint the integrity of the primary ballot. That may be useful to them in this election, but Colorado voters will have to live with the consequences of that action and it would create a disgraceful precedent that is not only the worst kind of back-door deal-making, it would make Colorado look like Florida did in 2000.

"Common sense and a fair reading of the law in Colorado must prevail. If Scott McInnis steps down that is his decision, but the Republican Party Assembly has already made clear that Dan Maes is the top-line candidate on the primary ballot and hence, there is no vacancy to fill. We intend to put a big spotlight on what the Republican Party elites and power brokers do manipulate the primary ballot, including any efforts to force Dan Maes off the ballot. McInnis has shown that he lacks the integrity to hold office. It's unclear whether Dan Maes has the integrity it will take to say "no" to any back-room political deal."

Dinner Under the Stars at Rain Dance Ranch

Senator Mark Udall, US Representative Jared Polis, Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, Attorney General Candidate Stan Garnett, and State Board of Education Member Angelika Schroeder
invite you to
"Dinner Under the Stars at Rain Dance Ranch"

Join US Representative Betsy Markey, State Treasurer Cary Kennedy, Secretary of State Bernie Buescher, State Senator Brandon Shaffer, State Representatives Dickie Lee Hullinghorst and Claire Levy, CU Regents Michael Carrigan, Joe Neguse and Monisha Merchant, CU Regent Candidate Melissa Hart, former House Majority Leader Alice Madden, the Democratic Women of Boulder County and Colorado Democratic Party Chair Pat Waak
on Saturday, July 24th at this working hay farm, for an elegant outdoor dinner featuring spectacular views of the Front Range under a full moon, featuring The Dave Fulker Jazz Trio. .

Saturday, July 24th
Cocktails 5:30 PM, Dinner 6 PM to 8 PM
Rain Dance Ranch, 8301 Journey Lane, Longmont

Sponsor $1,000, Co Host $500 and Guest $250
To purchase tickets, visit: www.coloradodems.us/events/dinnerunderthestars

We hope to see you on the 24th!

Click here for a PDF version of this invitation.

Time For McInnis to Come Clean on $300,000 Sweet-Heart Deal

It's no wonder that former Congressman-turned-lobbyist-turned-gubernatorial candidate, Scott McInnis finds himself in an embarrassing primary against a largely unknown businessman, Dan Maes.

Even hard core Republicans are scratching their heads and wondering why McInnis won't tell Colorado voters how he managed to become a millionaire while he was serving in Congress and what the whole story is behind an amazing $300,000 payment made to him by the Hasan Foundation after he left Congress to become a full-time lobbyist.

McInnis has no one but himself to blame for the public questions now swirling around his candidacy - questions that go right to whether he can be trusted to be transparent and accountable to the people of Colorado.

These questions emerged earlier this year when McInnis broke with a decades-long tradition in Colorado politics by refusing to release his tax returns. For the last two decades, every serious gubernatorial candidate - Republican and Democrat alike -- has released their tax returns so that voters can decide for themselves what kind of person might serve in the highest office in our state. Roy Romer did it. Bill Owens did it. And Democrat John Hickenlooper has gone beyond any candidate in Colorado political history by releasing more than 20 years of his tax returns.

But not Scott McInnis. So my question is simple: What does Congressman McInnis have to hide?

He may want to hide the details surrounding a very mysterious set of payments that the Hasan Family Foundation made to McInnis after he abruptly left office in 2003. According to news reports in the Denver Post, McInnis was paid a series of $150,000 payments totaling a whopping $300,000 for writing some articles on "water policy".

The Hasan family has supported Republican candidates with campaign contributions, including McInnis, so that's not surprising. What is surprising is that, according to their website, the Hasan Family Foundation was set up to promote "education in the arts" and to promote "better understanding of the Muslim and South Asian cultures to the people of the United States." So why would they award a fellowship - an unusually generous fellowship - to a former Congressman to write articles about water?

In old-time politics, the public would have called this a "kickback" or a "sweet-heart deal."