February 03, 2017 03:47 PM UTC

Gardner: No Time For "Fake Protesters," I'm Busy With Fat Cat Donors

• 2 Comments
• by: Colorado Pols

The Hill’s Alexander Bolton reports–Sen. Cory Gardner of Colorado has been in the hot seat this week for dismissing the large crowds who have gathered outside his offices to protest, with many thousands more leaving voice mail messages or (if they’re lucky) getting a low-level staffer on the phone to complain to. Gardner’s reference to “paid protesters” from out of state didn’t sit well with the very real constituents who have been trying without success to make their voices heard.

Well folks, it looks like there’s one thing Gardner’s constituents haven’t got. The one thing they need into to put themselves on the Senator’s radar, you know, for reals.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee’s (NRSC) fundraising event this weekend is at The Breakers hotel in Palm Beach… [Pols emphasis]

That’s right, Colorado! The thing you don’t have is money. Word that NRSC chairman Gardner would be in Palm Beach, Florida this weekend for the NRSC’s “Majority Makers” retreat with big donors came out during a story about the imperiled vote to confirm President Trump’s Education Secretary nominee Betsy DeVos. As DeVos’s nomination stalled, the process threatened to drag on into the weekend–when Gardner, as you can see, would be busy.

Two senior GOP aides said NRSC Chairman Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) was willing to reschedule the retreat, and the attendance problem preventing a Saturday vote is due to a senator who has a “family issue.”

That’s a nice thing for Gardner to say, but the fact is that this retreat would have been difficult to simply reschedule. And while it’s certainly possible that another Senator developed a “family issue” requiring attention, this fundraiser certainly takes precedence over some confirmation vote.

…The NRSC’s “Majority Makers” retreat will begin Friday with a 5:30 p.m. reception. Guests will sit down for intimate dinners with individual senators starting at 7 p.m.

On Saturday, guests will have the opportunity to participate in panel discussions with senators starting at 9:30 a.m. An afternoon golf tournament is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. The weather will be perfect for the occasion, 79 degrees and mostly sunny.

An “intimate dinner” with Sen. Cory Gardner! Panel discussions! Golfing! Why, we bet you could even play a round of pinochle with Gardner this weekend if you wanted. You know, if you happen to be in Palm Beach with a few spare grand burning a hole in your pocket.

But if you’re one of Gardner’s constituents “fake protesters” back in flyover country, you’re SOL.

This is one of those things that should be outrageous on its face, but in modern American politics the first thing every pundit does when hearing this story is start making excuses on the affected politician’s behalf. Of course Gardner has to attend the big NRSC fundraiser, right? He’s head of the NRSC, after all, and powerful donors don’t wait around. Right?

If the “fake protesters” back home are hungry, let them eat cake. History tells us that works out very well.