DENVER- Pat Waak, Chairwoman of the Colorado Democratic Party, issued the following statement this morning concerning Rick O'Donnell's fundraiser with President Bush on Friday:

"Given Rick O'Donnell's history of using top-dollar fundraisers to sell inside access to the special interests, O'Donnell should release the names of the attendees of Friday's fundraiser with the President to assure Colorado families that he did not use the fundraiser to grant improper access to donors. With the pay-to-play culture dominating Washington and O'Donnell's record of abusing executive branch fundraisers by uniting lobbyists and industry regulators, Coloradoans deserve to know exactly whose interests O'Donnell was serving on Friday."

“Rick O'Donnell should release the list of donors who paid to attend the Bush event so that Colorado families can rest assured that he was not selling industry time with President to benefit his campaign. Coloradoans don't need yet another Washington politician in Congress taking care of the special interests, they need a Representative who will fight for their priorities and make sure that Colorado families come first."

Rick O'Donnell Has A History of Using His Campaign To Sell Access to Executive Branch Officials

In March, Rick O'Donnell held a fundraiser with the EPA Administrator that was attended by a small group of lobbyists and executives from the oil, gas and timber industries. O'Donnell initially refused to hand over the names of the attendees and the list was made public only after a Freedom of Information Act request was made of the EPA. The list revealed that only ten individuals had attended the fundraiser, all of whom had professional ties to the oil and gas industry and some of whom had immediate business pending before the EPA. Both the Colorado Democratic Party and Rep. John Conyers, ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, filed Hatch Act complaints against the EPA Administrator for using his official title in the invitation to the event. [Denver Post, 3/29/06, Rocky Mountain News, 3/10/06; Denver Post, 3/14/06; Associated Press, 3/10/06; Associated Press, 3/16/06]

In May, the Office of Special Counsel Confirmed that They Were Looking Into the Complaints

"A spokesman from the Office of Special Counsel acknowledges that the office is looking into the complaints..." [Inside the EPA, May 1, 2006]