New Orleans fundraiser questioned

Rep. Doug Lamborn is the guest of honor at a re-election fundraiser Friday at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in New Orleans.

Lamborn’s Republican opponents in the 5th Congressional District questioned the event, for which the “suggested donation is $250. Invitations to the fundraiser referred to the opponents as “sore-losing moderates.”

The reception is being held in concert with a meeting of the Council for National Policy where Lamborn will speak about terrorism.

On its Web site, the Washington, D.C.-based council identifies itself as a nonprofit educational foundation that doesn’t lobby Congress, support candidates or issue public policy statements.

Its 450 members are leaders in government, business, media, religion and the professions and believe “in a free enterprise system, a strong national defense, and support for traditional Western values.”

The Center for Media and Democracy’s SourceWatch, a guide to names in the news, calls the council “a secretive forum” formed in 1981 by Tim LaHaye, a religious right figure who wrote the “Left Behind” books.

Past speakers at council meetings include former Attorneys General John Ashcroft and Alberto Gonzales, James Dobson, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and political activist Phyllis Schlafly.

Lamborn’s reception will be hosted by Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn.; former state Sen. John Andrews; state Sen. David Schultheis; and Tom Minnery, senior vice president of government and public policy at Focus on the Family Action.

“It’s quite exciting that the congressman was invited to speak at the conference being held in New Orleans,” Lamborn’s press secretary and campaign spokeswoman Kristen Hainen said.

“Since so many congressmen will be in the same location, Sen. Andrews is hosting a fundraiser for the congressman. His supporters across the nation will be attending.”

Hainen said most fundraisers for Lamborn will be held in the district.

The invitation says donations can be mailed to an address in Denver where Andrews works, along with one of Lamborn’s political consultants. Lamborn doesn’t have a campaign office there.

Lamborn’s opponents — business consultant Jeff Crank and retired Air Force Maj. Gen. Bentley Rayburn — questioned the out-of-state fundraiser.

“It strikes me as a little funny because I haven’t seen him do many fundraisers here in Colorado,” Rayburn said. “It’s interesting he’ll go to New Orleans to talk about the issues, but he won’t talk to people in Colorado Springs about the issues.”

Lamborn leads the three in contributions, with $263,681, according to 2007 Federal Election Commission filings. Of that, 60 percent, or $157,563, came from political action committees, most of them from out of state. He’s spent roughly $60,000 on fundraising.

Crank has raised $118,768, of which $4,250 came from PACs. He’s spent $3,230 on fundraising.

Rayburn has raised $90,640, of which $1,000 came from a PAC. He’s spent $6,050 raising money.

Rayburn and Crank also took issue with the wording of the invitation: “Doug Lamborn faces a tough primary this year against two sore-losing moderates whom he defeated last time.”

Crank said the sore-loser tag was insulting.

“Those are the sort of tactics used last time, and it seems as though it’s going to be a repeat,” Crank said.

The 2006 race for the Republican nomination after long-time Congressman Joel Hefley announced he was retiring was marked by accusations of dirty tactics.

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