March 20, 2012 09:35 PM UTC

Democrats Press Gardner Fundraising Junket Questions

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• by: Colorado Pols

CBS4 Denver follows up on their national parent’s weekend exposé:

One day after CBS News aired a report about Colorado Rep. Cory Gardner co-hosting a high-priced fundraiser, Gardner gave the Republican response to the president’s weekly address.

The CBS News report showed Gardner at an upscale Florida resort where lobbyists and donors were charged $10,000 for access to him and 11 other freshman Republicans…

Democrats claim Gardner received more than $177,000 in campaign cash from the oil and gas industry last year. And while Gardner attacked the president on his energy policies, Democrats want to know who the donors were who paid the price to meet the congressman.

“I think the people of Colorado would like to know how many oil and gas lobbyists were at this $10,000 per person even[t] in Florida,” Democratic Party Chairman Rick Palacio said.

Since taking office, Rep. Cory Gardner has probably spent more time on oil and gas drilling than any other issue. Since his response to the President’s weekly radio address essentially amounted to accusations about gas prices, a representative of Koch Industries or BP in attendance at Gardner’s $10,000-a-head happy hour would be, you know, extra politically juicy. But even if the Koch Brothers didn’t come to Gardner’s favored freshman Florida junket itself, they probably don’t have trouble getting on his calendar any time they need.

The push back, to the extent Republicans feel it’s better to push back than simply ignore this story, seems to be that Democrats have fundraisers too–and of course they do.

But this story, with hidden cameras, ten thousand-dollar happy hours with members of Congress as celebrity bartenders, and yachts named “The Good Life,” is about Republicans.

The fodder for campaign ads is what it is.