LETTER: Senator Gardner Profits from Special Interest Lobbyists at Fundraiser

This past weekend, Senator Cory Gardner hosted a high-dollar ski fundraiser in Beaver Creek, the very same public lands that would be protected under a public lands bill that he refuses to support. And while Senator Gardner was not able to attend the event, he still managed to rake in cash from the very same special interests that he prioritizes over the interests of Coloradans.

Sen. Gardner continues to hide away from his constituents while collecting checks from special interest groups, like big oil and big pharma. Coloradans are demanding protections for our public lands. We are struggling with the skyrocketing costs of prescription drugs. Yet, instead of doing what is best for Coloradans, he invited big oil and big pharma lobbyists to our state to toast their success. Coloradans won’t stand for this.

Since going to Washington, Sen. Gardner has not taken a stance on crucial legislation such as the CORE Act or the Lower Drug Cost Now Act, putting both the health care of Coloradans and our public lands at risk. Instead, he has taken over $400,000 from health insurance and drug industries and sided with them over the Colorado public on key votes. He has also taken $1.5 million from big oil donors and voted the way they told him, even when it put Colorado’s natural beauty and environment at risk. Coloradans are demanding Senator Gardner stop inviting oil and pharma lobbyists to our state, rubbing shoulders with special interests at the expense of our health and natural environment.

Below is the full list of attendees, grouped roughly by industry:

Tom Craig, Duke Energy Corporation
Martin Doern, Xcel Energy
Whitney Drew, NextEra Energy Inc.
Downey Magallanes, BP America
Joe Ellis, BP America
Catherine Haggett, Koch Companies Public Sector
Stan Dempsey, Colorado Mining Association
Laura Henry, National Stone, Sand & Gravel Assn.
Patrick Velliky, Federation of American Hospitals
Katie Allen Velliky, America’s Health Insurance Plans
Sarah Schmidt, CVS Health
Doug Stoss, Humana
Kara Smith, UnitedHealth
Nick Magallanes, PhRMA
Emily Mueller, Pfizer
Brenda Becker, Boston Scientific Corporation
Jordan Layson, Amgen
Henry Hanscom, American Trucking Association
Tom Jensen, UPS
Paul McKernan, FedEx Corporation
Cindy Hayden, Altria Client Services
Joe Augustus, Swisher International
Joe Heaton, Beer Institute
Will Kinzel, MillerCoors
Steve Rebillot, Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America
Kathleen Black, Coca-Cola
Frank Cavaliere, Microsoft Corporation
Brendan McGuire, Vail Resorts
Grant Colvin, Vail Resorts
Lizzy Simmons, National Retail Federation
Tori Barnes, U.S. Travel Association
Robert Dibblee, Nareit
John McClelland, American Rental Association
Beth Hoff Blackmer, American Rental Association
Booth Jameson, American Chemistry Council
Myriah Jordan, Facebook
Brooks Brunson-Pitts, Verizon Communications
Paula Timmons, T-Mobile
Nicole Gustafson, National Association of Broadcasters
Cort Bush, NBC Universal
Peter Lewis, DISH Network
Jordan Stoick, National Association of Manufacturers
Ian Musselman, LKQ Corporation
Curt Magleby, Ford Motor Company
Carolyn Mayle, Air Methods Corporation
Rory Maynard, Lockheed Martin Corporation
Lesley Kalan, Northrop Grumman Corporation
Meghan Allen, Sierra Nevada Corporation
Louis Dupart, The Normandy Group/FAA Managers Association
Natalie Farr, Team Subject Matter
Guy Harrison, OnMessage, Inc.
Matt Dempsey, FTI Consulting
Travis Brown, FirstRule
Andrew Handel, FirstRule
Pam Brewster, Orange Strategies
Scott O’Reilly, Spider Strategies
Steve Perry, Perry Bayliss Government Relations
Stephen Replogle, Cove Strategies
Jim Rowland, Rowland Strategy Group, LLC
John Timmons, The Cormac Group
Jason Van Pelt, Crossroads Strategies
Justin Rzepka, BGR Group
Missy Edwards, MME Strategies
Clay Heil, Ice Miller Strategies
Brian Wild, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck
Brendan Dunn, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP
Bill Womack, Deloitte, LLC
Jim Stanard, [TigerRisk Partners]
Kate Bonner, Capital One Financial Corporation
Mark Peterson, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants

Vanessa Harmoush
Denver CO.

Post Contributor

The Pagosa Daily Post welcomes submissions, photos, letters and videos from people who love Pagosa Springs, Colorado. Call 970-903-2673 or email pagosadailypost@gmail.com