Group's ads attack Schaffer trip in '99

TV, radio spots to begin airing in Colorado Springs

By Lynn Bartels, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Friday, May 2, 2008

A Washington group launched ads Thursday attacking Republican U.S. Senate candidate Bob Schaffer over his 1999 trip to the Marianas Islands arranged by organizations with ties to lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

"This issue will not go away until (Schaffer) truly apologizes for aiding Abramoff's efforts to continue the deplorable conditions for exploited female workers in the Northern Marianas," said David Donnelly, director of Campaign Money Watch.

The TV and radio ads will air in Colorado Springs over the next two weeks.

Schaffer's campaign manager, Dick Wadhams, said Campaign Money Watch is a "sham" organization that is financed by "scumbags."

The group says it supports the public financing of political campaigns to reduce the influence of special interests.

Campaign Money Watch has suggested that Schaffer, as a congressman, ignored worker abuses after going on a free "junket" to the Marianas and receiving campaign donations from islands interests.

Donnelly called on Schaffer to:

* Publicly urge President Bush to sign legislation on his desk that includes immigration and worker reforms on the islands.

* Donate a portion of his campaign funds to charities on the islands that aid workers.

* Back bipartisan legislation to establish public financing of congressional elections.

Wadhams called on Campaign Money Watch to "return the hundreds of thousands - if not millions - of dollars it has received from convicted billionaire George Soros."

"They should apologize for using tainted money for allegedly trying to reform the system," Wadhams said.

Soros, who reportedly denied any wrongdoing, was convicted by a French court in an insider trading case dating to the late 1980s and was fined, according to a 2006 news report.

Soros contributed $100,000 to the Campaign Money Watch in 2006.

"For the record, Mr. Soros didn't fund the ads," Donnelly said.

"But if Mr. Schaffer wants to debate money and politics, like who takes money from people and then votes in their favor in Congress . . . we'll be glad to debate him."

Wadhams also went after Schaffer's opponent, U.S. Rep. Mark Udall, D-Eldorado Springs.

"If Boulder liberal Mark Udall wants his dirty work to be paid for by scumbags . . . that tells us everything we need to know about Boulder liberal Mark Udall," Wadhams said.

Said Udall's campaign spokeswoman, Taylor West: "If Abramoff crony Bob Schaffer thinks an organization of people committed to integrity in government are 'scumbags,' that tells us everything we need to know about Abramoff crony Bob Schaffer."

Schaffer has said he never met Abramoff.

The powerful lobbyist pleaded guilty in 2006 of fraud, conspiracy to bribe and other charges, and now is in prison.

bartels@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5327