Blake: Tom Strickland's revenge

Published January 17, 2007 at midnight

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Lawyer-lobbyist.

Colorado's most popular political insult, mothballed since 2002, could be aired out for a third go-round in next year's Senate race.

But this time, in a delicious twist of fate, Dick Wadhams might have to play defense against it, instead of using it as a club.

It all depends on how successful former Rep. Scott McInnis is in his quest for the GOP nomination.

McInnis is by far the most active GOP candidate for the seat Sen. Wayne Allard said Monday he would give up at the end of his term.

He told Grand Junction's Daily Sentinel a formal announcement is a year away, but "we'll be getting engaged very darned quick" in the maneuvering. He's been making numerous calls recently in search of support.

Since leaving Congress two years ago, McInnis has been employed in the Denver office of Hogan & Hartson. It's a humongous international law firm (1,000-plus attorneys, 22 offices worldwide) that describes its mission delicately as "working at the intersection of business and government."

That's a fun phrase. In plain English, it means lobbying for dollars. The firm has listed an amazing 2,992 clients with the U.S. Senate's lobbyist registry. It must leave only crumbs for the competition.

McInnis' personal list of clients includes the American Red Cross (Katrina-related issues), EnCana (oil and gas), Cunningham Bounds (another large law firm; budget issues), Eclipse Snow Park (public lands), Anschutz Corp. (taxes) and even The Pueblo Chieftain (water).

The managing partner of the law firm's 60-member Denver office is Tom Strickland. He of course was the losing Democratic challenger to Allard in 1996 and 2002, and Wadhams tarred him with the "lawyer-lobbyist" tag both times.

It seems only fair that a Republican from the firm be the next victim. Wadhams won't be managing the GOP's 2008 Senate candidate but he is a lock to become the state GOP chairman. He'll have plenty of opportunity to practice the lawyer-lobbyist defense.

I put him through a trial run Tuesday.

"Scott's tenure in Congress defines his professional life more than anything else," replied Wadhams. "He had a very distinguished record of achievement and service. That's what will define Scott McInnis if he gets into this race."

Nice try, but I have to tell you that the words didn't roll off his tongue as smoothly as they will later, after more practice.

It's worth noting that H&H has another function: It seems to serve as a greenroom for lawyers who need a lucrative place to hang out between stints on the local political stage.

Bill Ritter was there for a year or two just before he ran for governor, although he somehow forgot to include that fact in his campaign biography. Ritter's new higher education chief, former Rep. David Skaggs, worked with the law firm for a while. And Tuesday the firm announced that Cole Finegan, who just gave up his job as Denver city attorney, will join as a partner Feb. 1.

McInnis will have to overcome more than the L-L tag in his run for the Senate. He's an excellent campaigner who loves to meet and greet, and he has $939,000 in cash left over from his congressional campaigns - just short of Democratic rival Mark Udall's $1.3 million.

But the party hasn't forgotten that he could have run for the Senate in 2004, after Ben Campbell withdrew in March, and quite possibly have beaten the relatively colorless Ken Salazar. Indeed, presidential adviser Karl Rove called McInnis while he was in the shower and begged him to run.

But by that time Strickland had already waved that partnership pay package under his nose and McInnis wasn't stepping back.

Announcing his acceptance of the law job with nine months still to go in his sixth House term was odd, and forced him to be careful how and when he voted. He couldn't look as though he might be favoring one of those 2,992 clients.

He also considered resigning early, which would have forced an expensive special election, but ultimately refrained from doing so.

He also caught plenty of headlines because he allowed his wife Lori to administer his campaign fund and paid her from its proceeds. That's not illegal but it didn't smell right.

All of these factors may be forgotten by the voters when the Senate race gets serious.

But if it isn't, you might find Tom Strickland smiling quietly in his office. He may have lost two Senate campaigns himself, but he dissuaded a popular Republican from even making the race in 2004 - and then kept him around long enough so that he may be too tainted to win the race in 2008.

blakep@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5119.

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