Another Rogue Individual...It's an Epidemic!

“By exploiting Mr. Johnson’s role as EPA administrator, Mr. Johnson and the O’Donnell campaign have jeopardized what should be a distinct separation between public policy and partisan politicking,” Waak wrote.

O’Donnell is the lone Republican candidate running for the 7th Congressional District seat being vacated by Bob Beauprez. O’Donnell officially resigned Friday from his job as director of the Colorado Commission on Higher Education to campaign full-time.Officials from the O’Donnell campaign and the EPA have denied any wrongdoing in regard to Johnson’s visit. The federal Hatch Act allows presidential appointees to stump on their own time for their favorite candidates, but it prohibits them from listing their titles on the invitations.

The subject line of an invitation e-mailed last week on behalf of former state health department Director Doug Benevento invited potential donors to a “Fundraiser with Administrator of EPA Stephen L. Johnson for Rick O’Donnell.” The attached invitation was titled, “Fundraiser with Administrator of EPA.”…

The subject line of an invitation e-mailed last week on behalf of former state health department Director Doug Benevento invited potential donors to a “Fundraiser with Administrator of EPA Stephen L. Johnson for Rick O’Donnell.”

The attached invitation was titled, “Fundraiser with Administrator of EPA.”

Benevento hosted the lunch at his Denver law firm, Greenberg Traurig, where he has practiced law since resigning from his state job Dec. 30. He said Friday that the e-mail originated from his office, and that he was accountable for it. He said the e-mail did not violate the Hatch Act, since a government official didn’t send it.