Denver - Colorado Democratic Party Chair Pat Waak today blasted Republican party leaders for placing partisan advantage above the interests of Colorado citizens.

"Coloradans elect their state representatives and senators to debate ideas and create the best policy for our state," said Waak. "This is no room in this deliberative process for partisan machinations and meddling by political operatives."

State Republican Party Chair Dick Wadhams recently boasted that he would "spend every day, all day" turning a school funding bill into an opportunity for fear-mongering. Wadhams also attracted notice recently by attending committee hearings as the school funding issue has been debated. Republican Attorney General John Suthers and a Republican aide hired by Suthers have followed Wadhams's lead by opining against the bill. However, the non-partisan Office of Legislative Legal Services has found no constitutional problems with the bill.

"Attorney General Suthers last year refused to investigate possible illegal conduct by the Trailhead Group, a Republican attack organization, perhaps because several Trailhead donors also supported Suthers's re-election campaign," said Waak. "Now the attorney general is further straining the credibility of his office."

"And even though the Trailhead Group has admitted failure and closed its doors, Trailhead politics are alive and well in Colorado thanks to the cheap tricks of Dick Wadhams," said Waak. "I hardly think a political operative known as 'Rove 2.0' is someone most Coloradans want mixed up in their elections."

175 of 178 local school districts across Colorado have already voted in favor of additional local funding for their children's education. While Democrats try to respect the decisions of local school boards and protect school funding, Republicans like Wadhams are sacrificing good governance on the altar of partisan advantage.

"Coloradans chose Democratic leaders in 2004 because they wanted change," said Waak. "They renewed their trust in Democratic leaders in 2006 because Democrats delivered on their promises. Governor Bill Ritter and Democratic legislators are working hard to maintain this trust. But voters are tired of Rove-style attack politics getting in the way of the people's business," said Waak.