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October 08, 2005 08:00 AM UTC

What a Big List You Have, Bob Beauprez

  • 53 Comments
  • by: Colorado Pols

After a couple of days of relative quiet in the Marc Holtzman/Bob Beauprez email list “theft” mini-epic, the next round is on with former Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell as Holtzman’s surprise tag-team partner. For the play-by-play, we turn as always to the lovely and gracious Lynn Bartels at the Rocky Mountain News:

Former U.S. Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell said this week he believes GOP gubernatorial candidate Bob Beauprez is using his donor list to solicit campaign contributions.

“I think it’s unethical,” he said. “My list is being used without my permission.”

But he said he has no plans to take action because “if it happened, it’s a done deal.”

Although,

Sean Tonner, Campbell’s former campaign manager, downplayed the charge Friday, saying Campbell didn’t have much of a list to begin with.

Campbell’s accusation follows a similar one by Marc Holtzman, Beauprez’s GOP gubernatorial rival, who said Beauprez was using his e-mail list without permission. On Monday, Holtzman asked the Denver district attorney to investigate the possible theft of his e-mail list.

Beauprez’s campaign coordinator, John Marshall, reiterated that Beauprez’s donor lists are completely legitimate.
<!–more–>
Tonner said when Campbell last March unexpectedly dropped out of the race, he allowed Senate candidate Pete Coors to use the list.

Beauprez now is using Coors’ and Owens’ lists, which is why Campbell’s supporters have been contacted, Tonner and Marshall said.

But Campbell questioned that explanation.

“Part of the problem is if the word is out that they’re using your list, there’s a sort of subtle insinuation that you’re endorsing the candidate – and I’m not,” Campbell said.

In fact, he has toyed with jumping into the governor’s race, but said he won’t decide until December at the earliest.

The fact is that the Beauprez camp’s explanation is more plausible against Campbell’s accusations than Holtzman’s. These lists do move around quite a bit among the usual suspects, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to learn that Campbell’s list was appropriated by other Republican candidates once he dropped out of the race. We think Campbell is savvy enough to understand all that, so other motives were almost certainly at work.

Bartels noted that Campbell’s son had sold some election software to the Holtzman campaign. Beauprez defenders will be quick to point out that link and claim he’s just swinging a bat for Holtzman. We think Campbell wanted to get his name inserted into this press-heavy little exchange, for reasons that might be more evident after a major Governor Line update sometime in December (at the earliest).

Kevin McCasky

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53 thoughts on “What a Big List You Have, Bob Beauprez”

  3. The main thing motivating BNC to do this is revenge.  It’s no secret that Beauprez fired Colin Campbell from his congressional staff and the entire Campbell clan has been waiting to get back at him.  As for any speculation that BNC might run for Governor, that’s bullshit too.  He dropped out of the Senate race because he had an ethics catastrophe about to crash down around him.  That matter hasn’t been resolved and if he runs for anything it will be a huge anchor around his neck.

  4. Isn’t it interesting how a hired gun like Sean Tonner easily shifts into spinning for a potentially new boss (Beauprez) even at the expense of dumping on an old bos (Campbell)? Way to go, Sean!! I bet you won’t be invited down to the Campbell ranch anytime soon…

  5. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black.  Nighthorse’s son Colin used Beauprez’s congressional mailing list to solicit business for his wife’s dating servive before he was fired.  A friend of mine – who was married – got a nice slutty mailer and was initially pissed at Beauprez’s office until he found out that Colin lifted the list without authorization.  He probably didn’t tell daddy about that.

  7. I think this demonstrates a pattern of behavior – and if I can remember my second year of law school well enough – that’s circumstantial, though still admissable. Even WITHOUT Campbell filing a complaint. Plus – I need to still say this… if a donor from BNC’s first race was on the list – it’s still his donor. Even if he let’s Coors fundraise off of that same list.

    As for Tonnor – he knows better. These lists are not an “asset” of the CM, nor do they inherently roll into the next campaign. For a serious ball player, I’m more than surprised he compromised the databases of his previous clients.

    On the other hand – if a clause exists in the contracts of his clients saying otherwise, then I take that all back.

    But back to BB; apperently the high end donors know who brought over the MH database, but are refusing to throw him under the bus. Will the DA be so inclined? Probably not.

    The smartest thing here would be to right it off to an over-enthusiastic volunteer and issue some sort of pseudo apology. But we all remember how BB handled the Denver Three. He’ll shut up about it – tell his staff to shut up – refuse to talk about it – and pray it will all go away.

  9. Look – BB camapign started with NOTHING. His lists were in disarray, had never been updated regularly and were crap. He needed a place to start. After, I’m sure, getting the Coffman lists – he obvioulsy scrounged for anything else he could get his hands on. Surprising? No. Unethical? Yes. Criminal? Depends.

  13. It seems “Both Way Bob” is following his former Majority Leader in regards to violating ethics.

    Tonner is also guilty. He has been doing this for a long time, but trying to stay above the radar. Maybe Lynn should investigate Phaseline. Bet she can find a whole lot of unethical stuff in that sweatshop.

  14. Great to see the season of Republican vs. Republican continues on. And, we now get to watch hired staff throwing former US Senators under the bus. Class move, lackey.

    The Republican guv primary and the elephant C&D battles have been great for Democrats to watch. We don’t even have to implement any sort of strategy to bring down the Republican Party – you guys are doing it yourself.

    And that’s fine – focus all your energy on beating the crap out of each other and the Democrats will continue to focus on things the voters care about – educating Colorado’s children, providing affordable health care for Coloradans, creating more jobs.

  15. Talking about stolen lists, did someone from the “Citizen’s Coalition” (check out http://www.savehighered.org) steal UCCS student emails for use in one of their vote-yes campaigns?

    It seems so. I got an email on my student account (I’m a grad student). UCCS assures me they are investigating the incident. It seems a faculty member is involved. Check out the full story over at Latino Issues.

  16. What an unethical sh*t. I wonder if he also mailed the GOP donor file from when he was State Chairman. You know – when we lost the state senate with money still in the coffers? Ya – he lead us to a victory under his so-called “leadership” then, too.

  17. The only reason BB got into the Governor?s race was to cast a fundraising net wide enough to retire his old campaign debt.

    Now that it is done BB will drop out of the Governors race.

    If he was serious about the Governor’s race he’d be running on Issuses and not the type of campaign he has been engaged in for the Governor’s Office.

  18. Unethical Bob! And we want him as our Governor???

    Let’s also not forget Sean Tonner. He is the guilty one in this too!

    Maybe he should change his company name to “Phaseout Strategies.”

    They have a whole bunch of unethical people on that staff anyway.

  20. Don’t ever forget that BNC is a petulant and vindictive SOB and his son is a moron.  BNC will not go gently into that goodnight but he will get the GOP nomination for Governor when hell freezes over.  Still – if I’m MH I’m down on the Nighthorse Ranch kissing his ring and asking for his support.  If MH gets it – it won’t help that much but BNC can still cause heartburn for those he holds vendettas against.

  21. Fact Jack:

    You are a moron.  Money raised for a state race can’t be used to retire debt from a Congressional campaign.  Go home noob.

  26. Good to see you again fake little Irishman.  Not a good week for your man, is it? 

    Are you saying that BB didn’t just pay off his 400K in campaign debt from 04?  I had heard that he did…

  29. That’s irrelevant. He’s running for Governor, not to be the “honorary spokesperson” against a referendum backed by his own biggest supporters, Owens and Benson.

  31. So, you’re saying he cares enough about Colorado to run for gov, but not enough to try and defeat a tax increase which he says he doesn’t agree with? 

    That’s irrelevant? 

    I’ll tell you what is relevant, the fact that him and John Marshall claim he’s against C&D until they’re blue in the face, they EVEN cite newspaper articles about it.

    BUT, when push comes to shove, he’d rather pay off his debt from his last election then put his money where his mouth is and try and defeat C&D. 

    Of course he doesn’t want to anger Owens/Benson/Atkinson, then it might actually appear he has a backbone. 

    And before you attack me for not knowing anything about him, I put in many o’ hours on his 02 campaign, I know plenty about him.

  33. Anti C an  D goons are tearing down yes on c and yard signs in my neighborhood too.  Frankly, I’m delighted.  the more decent citizens see these goon squad tactics, the more we’re likely to tell Dick Armey, Marc (Spend Every Dime Daddy Has) Holtzman and  Doug Bruce to go to hell.  The fact is that a lot of good people are working for C and D, and a lot of bad people are working against it.  Keep up the vandalism, goons, it only turns more voters against you.

  34. I’ve been thinking a lot about this and I keep getting back to one issue for me: it seems that MH is still just fundraising off of his personal friends and associates, while BB is renting lists, telemarketing and doing a lot of prospect mailing. Both methods are fine, (and eventually every candidate has to prospect), but is it possible BB has already picked his low-hanging fruit? And is MH done yet with that source of funding?  I don’t know the answer.

    But I also don’t think I’m comfortable knowing that a sitting congressman is renting lists and prospecting so early in the race.

    Any thoughts out there?

  35. Anti C an D idiots have been destroying “vote yes on C and D” yard signs in my neighborhood as well.  Just amazing these people.  They are desperate and don’t know what to do anymores so they turn to violence!?  Republicans… what can I say.  They don’t know any better I guess? 

    VOTE YES on C and D!!!!!!!!!!!!!  FORZA!!!

  36. Say no to more money in the government’s pockets, and more pork spending by politicians. Vote NO on C & D. Why should I, someone poor, have to live on a tight budget, while the government spends in any way it wants. No way! Let’s see the government get on a budget, control spending, become more efficient, and do more with the money they have–that’s what us poor people have to do every day! It’s my money, and I intend to keep it. Vote NO to C & D.

  37. Beauprez is sinking fast. It’s too bad. I used to really like him. He’s trying so hard to not anger anyone that he’s pissing off all of the activists.

    He either needs to stomp for C & D with his buddy Owens, or speak out against it with Hillman, Mitchell, etc. Not let Marshall, Julie, and Kelly explain what he “really means.”

    As for the list thing…Beauprez was allegedly using Holtzman’s list, and it sounds like his campaign got caught with their hand in the cookie jar with Campbell’s. All I know is apparently they are more screwed up in that office than I thought.

    I’m pulling my support. I don’t want my fingerprints on that train wreck!

  39. Bob Beauprez (via telephone) on John Andrews’ http://www.backboneamerica.net/ Backbone Radio Show KNUS710AM http://www.710knus.com/ Sunday evening 5:36 p.m. – 5:59 p.m.:

    JA: introduction
    BB: My oldest son got married this weekend.  A wonderful celebration.

    JA: Is your back OK?
    BB: 24 hours after surgery, I returned to DC.  I’m fine now.

    JA: Tom Delay? Katrina?
    BB: Katrina is an opportunity to take things down or bring them up.  As for Delay, time will tell.  Situation is rocked with animosity at all levels.  It remains to be seen if there is a case.  It’s bringing us together.  Katrina is not an excuse to throw more money at things.  We need to find budget offsets.  Conference committee discussion on Thursday night, Roy Blunt, whip, members united.  It has the President’s attention.

    JA: Call for Operation Offset.
    BB: It’s time to put up or shut up.  Haley Barbour (Gov. Mississippi): strength is with the people.  We need to approach this with a sense of responsibility.  For example, note how long it takes to get an estimate just for roof damage, but hours after Katrina, large estimates were being thrown around.  This is an area the size of Wyoming.  Democrats (Nancy Pelosi) were immediately calling for eliminating the Bush tax cuts.

    JA: responses such as enterprise zones and relaxed rules for new refineries should be nationwide.
    BB: It’s an opportunity.

    JA: You noted the political base expects spending restraint.  Miers nomination?
    BB: I’m a glass is half full kind of guy.  I’m going to trust President Bush that he knows Miers.

    JA: A shrewd chess move.

    (break; I missed the beginning of the next segment trying to get the final Broncos result)

    BB: I now have financial contributions from 64 counties.  Figures will be released soon.

    BB: We need to address our various state needs.

    JA: Critics of your opposition to Ref. C&D?
    BB: Government always thinks the sky is falling.  My father imposed fiscal discipline: we’re not borrowing any money.  When we finally left dairying we had our dairy cattle on all populated continents.

    JA: Ref D is $2 billion debt with $100 million debt service payments.
    BB: Lessons of life from dad: in dry years with debt, bank could foreclose.  He was fortunate to find another loan, but it taught him a lesson.  We don’t want to be derelict in our responsibilities.

    JA: “Food fight” with Holtzman?
    BB: This type of situation keeps many good people from entering politics.

    JA: “11th commandment.”
    BB: I learned from being state chairman.  Maybe it’s a sign of desperation.  The mailing list is not a situation.  I have my own long email list.  I was taught not to steal and have not stolen.  This is an invented charge.  It’s not true–I simply have to say it.  Nancy Pelosi likes to talk about a culture of corruption.  Talk like this plays into her hand.

    Kelly (listener): Fair tax?
    BB: I’m a co-sponsor, sit next to its author on committee, so I obviously support it.  The income tax started out 80 (90?) years ago as a limited flat tax.  Fair Tax is a National Sales Tax (to replace the income tax http://www.fairtax.org/ ).

    JA: The income tax needs to go away, it will be tricky to get rid of the 16th Amendment.  Out of time (abrupt end).
    **********
    Again, sorry for any errors or mischaracterizions–I’m nearly live blogging.

  40. I have never donated to a Colorado Candidate or Elected Official, but I recieved the Claudia Beauprez letter. Addressed to just me, not my husband. But I was a donor a few months ago to my friend Marc Holtzman. Just me, not my husband.

    What are the chances Beuapres is mailing all of the Holtzman donors?

  41. Beauprez did not steal Holtzman’s lists.  I know several people, including myself, who gave money to Holtzman, but we have not recieved anything from Beauprez.

    I am going to get my money back from the Holtzman campaign though, they need to get a life.

  42. Are you listening to this Mike Coffman?  Please run for Governor now!  The Republican party needs you – a good and decent guy – to be our next Governor. 

    Don’t worry about deals you cut with the likes of BB or MH.  Just jump in and run.  Besides if you don’t we may end up with Ben Campbell or Scott McInnis.  YIKES!!!

    Restore dignity to the process – RUN MIKE RUN!

  44. Mike Collins,

    I think Bob Beauprez said he left early this weekend to attend the rehearsal dinner Frday evening for his son’s wedding the next day.  I took notes on his interview before reading the comments on this posting.  I didn’t include that comment because I can’t type that fast (I can only type about one fourth of what I hear, so I try to summnarize and paraphrase the basic thoughts while quoting the cliches which are more memorable).  So some of what I hear turns out to be relevant.

    Not all actions are politically motivated.  I would consider attending the rehearsal dinner for your oldest son’s wedding an excused absence.

    I noticed the banner ad for Colorado Exposed and remember Zinna’s Jeffco Exposed.  It seems too cynical to automatically assume that all politicians are corrupt, but I think there’s probably more than ultimately gets substantiated.  Whether appointments to the Supreme Court (Harriet Miers) or appointments to city boards http://www.dailycamera.com/bdc/opinion_columnists/article/0,1713,BDC_2490_4141772,00.html (pesky but easy registration required) “Evans: Cronies trump diversity in Boulder,” whom one knows does play an important role.

  46. TheFactJack: Very interesting thoughts about BB… I think you found the only possible reason BB has for dropping out of the race for Gov while explaining why he got in it to begin with.

    The rumors I am hearing are that 1) BB has paid off his Cong debt. 2) He has earned nearly $1 MIL for his Gov race.

    BB can keep the money earned in the Gov race for a race in the 7th, but he has to offer to give it back and ask permission of the donor to keep it… This doesn’t mean he has to mail the checks back the way Bridges did, he can just send a letter asking to apply it to his Cong race. With how concerned everyone is about keeping the 7th GOP… Who is going to say no and ask for their money back?

    The 7th is a tough place for the GOP, BB might be the only guy who can win it… I never thought BB’s run for GOV was a “win-win”… He loses Primary or Gov General race and we lose the 7th and maybe the GOV Mansion as well. Now it all does make sense; MH is making the race a tough one, BB could drop out and possible keep $1 MIL for a run for the 7th (bye-bye Peggy and Eddy better eat his Wheaties).

    What about ROD you say?? Rick is a great guy, everyone loves him, Holtzman and even Coffman (pulling a Caesar move in Iraq) will offer him LtGov just to get him to drop out of the race for the 7th so BB can re-enter.

    Anyhow, not sure I believe it Jack, but it does sound plausible. I suppose we’ll see huh?

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