The Rocky Mountain News reports in hushed tones:
Two years ago, two of Colorado’s richest Democratic benefactors plowed more than $7 million into Democratic candidates and causes.
Now a confidential memo to one of their advisers suggests that it would take contributions of nearly $12 million to finance independent political groups trying to influence the outcome of the presidential, U.S. Senate and 4th Congressional District races.
The money – to be spent by political groups known as 527s – would help buy TV ads, radio time and mailings, according to internal documents obtained by the Rocky Mountain News.
The memo was prepared by political consultant Dominic DelPapa and sent to Al Yates, who wears many hats, including adviser to Pat Stryker, a Fort Collins heiress. Stryker and philanthropist Tim Gill, of Denver, spent $7.46 million in 2006 to try to swing elections for Democratic candidates and causes.
The memo doesn’t say who would contribute the money, and DelPapa wouldn’t reveal any details…
Part of the Senate budget calls for a $1.9 million advertising campaign in March and April that would target Republican Bob Schaffer, who likely will face Democrat Mark Udall in the U.S. Senate race. “Define Schaffer/Foot on Throat,” the campaign effort reads, according to a financial spreadsheet marked “very rough preliminary paid communications budget.”
DelPapa and Yates declined to discuss the documents or their clients, but Dick Wadhams, chairman of the Colorado Republican Party, ripped the 2008 proposal as “character assassination” and said that Democrats need to reveal their donors immediately.
Democrats fired back, pointing out that Schaffer has served as a board member for various Republican 527s, political groups named for a section of the tax code that regulates them. Such groups typically engage in negative campaigning…
GOP Senate candidate Bob Schaffer certainly does know a thing or two about nasty 527s, having played a key role in the “character assassination” of fellow Republican Ramey Johnson in 2006.
Before anybody gets carried away speculating about a “leak” at the highest Al Yates-ey levels, we’ve already heard that it’s been confirmed to have been inadvertent. Everyone makes bcc: mistakes from time to time, we’re happy to say we’ve never made one this big.
At any rate, other than the playbook leak with some specific numbers–an irritating but not really damaging incident for the Dems, since it discloses nothing fundamentally new–there’s no big deal here, and certainly nothing scandalous. Dear heavens, the Democrats are planning to target Bob Schaffer! And Texas has a whorehouse in it!
Lord have mercy on our souls.
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are pretty weak. Musgrave in particular is fond of the “poor little me” approach. The problem for them is that it’s an inside baseball issue — not exactly something to move persuadable voters.
Pat Stryker, Tim Gill and Jared Polis (not sure why his name was left out of the article, but everyone knows he’s been generous with his money for Democrats).
I’d love to see Ramey Johnson in one of the ads ripping Bob Schaffer. I’d bet that she’s already been approached to make an ad appealing to the 12 or 13 moderate Republicans left in the party.
where they cite the expeditures during the 2006 cycle….
I’m pretty sure Polis dipped into his reserves to help out the cause.
and stayed away from candidate advocacy spending.
Are they taking Doug Bruce antics to another level? That line seemed a little violent and unnecessary.
Sounds like typical insider hardball talk. The sort of stuff that people like James Carville and Karl Rove have for breakfast every morning.
Followed by a roundhouse kick, wet willy, and knee to the groin. And lots of jokes about the lisp. Karl and James step aside.
for knock em down, hold em down and don’t let up the pressure until they give up.
What kind of people do these folks have working for them?
I’m always a bit grossed out when the expenditures and tactics of progressive causes seem less than progressive.
But then the pragmatic side of me kicks in.
I am a strong supporter of real campaign finance reform, but until that happens I’m glad that we have deep pockets and hatchet men working for us as well.
Bottom line is that you don’t bring a knife to a gun fight.
….and truth to the rumor that she’s heading up “Republicans for Udall” this year?
That level of money has to scare the shit out of the Republicans in this state. Wadhams is having trouble just paying the electric bill at the GOP headquarters.
Of course, so did we. 🙂
Best part of the movie:
“be afraid, be very afraid” notice for BS and his lackey DICK WADhams.
Bob is going to have about as much breathing room as Mr. Macca, so here’s to the Fighting Dems finally showing a whole lot of backbone by going on the attack!