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Benson, regent differ over claim about ads

Schauer says he was warned of political attack

By Lynn Bartels, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published January 31, 2008 at 9:20 p.m.

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Schauer's response: 'I told him I was still in the race.'

Schauer's response: 'I told him I was still in the race.'

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CU Regent Paul Schauer said he voted for Bruce Benson as the university president finalist even though Benson earlier warned that he would finance attack ads against Schauer if he ran for re-election.

Benson countered that Schauer's version of events "isn't quite true," but declined to elaborate.

Schauer is a Centennial Republican at odds with some of his fellow GOP regents. He has a primary opponent in his re-election bid, which is unusual for an incumbent.

Schauer said that he and Benson had breakfast at the Brown Palace last year.

"He said he would form a 527 if I ran," Schauer said, referring to attack political groups named for the section of the federal tax code that regulates them.

"I told him I was still in the race and I intended to run," Schauer said Thursday.

Benson, former chairman of the Republican Party, disagreed with Schauer's recollection.

"Paul and I have been friends since 1985. We've had this discussion in which we didn't agree on a few things, and that's about where I'm going to leave it," Benson said.

"And you know what? I think we're just fine now. He's a good guy. He has the best interests of the university at heart. I look forward to working with him."

Besides, Benson said, now that he is the finalist, he will steer clear of politics, including the regent's races.

Schauer stood by his version of events, although he said that the meeting probably didn't occur at the end of December as he earlier recalled. He said he can't remember the exact date but that it was sometime in the fall. Schauer said that Benson likely was not a candidate for the president's job at the time.

Schauer was asked why he voted for Benson, if Benson is opposing his re-election. Schauer faces Jim Geddes in the August primary.

"This is not the absolute final vote," Schauer said. "This is just a vote to accept the recommendation of the search committee and in essence give Benson full exposure. I want to hear what the reaction is and how he responds.

"When I asked the search committee, 'What is his vision for the institution?' no one could give me a clear understanding of what he hoped to achieve."

Schauer said that some Republican board members are upset with him, in part because he did not vote for Republican Steve Bosley, of Boulder, to be board chairman last year. Instead, Schauer voted with Democrats on the board to re-elect Republican Patricia Hayes, of Aurora, as board chairwoman.