Big-money sponsors for Gov.-elect Bill Ritter’s inaugural festivities read like a who’s who of Colorado lobbyists, raising the ever-elusive political question of what are they really buying.
“We’ve seen consistently large contributions for these kinds of events. And it raises the same age-old question, ‘Are you sponsoring events, or are you buying influence?”‘ said Jenny Rose Flanagan, executive director of Colorado Common Cause.
Ritter’s inaugural committee on Thursday released a list of more than 50 sponsors for next week’s celebration, a list largely dominated by corporations, law firms and associations that lobby the governor and the legislature.
Among them are 10 $20,000 sponsors, including the influential law firms of Hogan & Hartson and Brownstein Hyatt & Farber.
Sponsors receive tickets for next weekend’s events, which include $60-a-person dinners for about 2,700 people, a 5,000- seat Jessi Colter concert and a $300-a-person train ride to Pueblo. Tickets to all the events were available to the public.
“There are going to be so many people there, how can it be peddling?” asked Steve Farber of Brownstein Hyatt & Farber.
“My law firm has a lot of lawyers. It pays for the tickets of the attorneys and their spouses who will be attending. It’s a celebration. … I never thought it was important for us to be at this thing other than to celebrate Colorado.”
While private funding of inaugural events has become standard practice in Colorado and across the country, it has raised concerns by watchdog groups and others who have worked to enact limits on campaign contributions and lobbying expenditures.
“Any time you have these large contributions, big money being spent to influence politics, that’s concerning,” Flanagan said.
Ritter campaign spokesman Evan Dreyer downplayed suggestions of potential influence peddling, saying “really what (the sponsors) are doing is underwriting the people’s party, helping keep this as a privately funded, nontaxpayer” paid event.
In 1999, after Gov. Bill Owens was elected, supporters held a $150-a-person ball. Corporate sponsors were asked to contribute $25,000 for special access.
Flanagan suggested that politicians consider less extravagant events.
“You look around the country and everybody is celebrating. And they should celebrate. People worked hard on their campaigns. But there are different ways to do it. It doesn’t have to be so big.”
Flanagan did applaud Ritter’s committee for releasing information about its top sponsors.
“It helps a lot. It’s important to know who the donors are,” she said. “It’s certainly the first step.”
Staff writer Jeri Clausing can be reached at 303-954-1555 or jclausing@denverpost.com.
Inaugural dinner will get a sequel
Due to popular demand, a second dinner is being added to the festivities honoring next week’s inauguration of Gov.-elect Bill Ritter.
The additional dinner Jan. 12 will be at the Hyatt Regency Denver at Colorado Convention Center, across the street from the convention center, where the initial 2,000-seat dinner is being served.
Tickets to the first dinner sold out in less than 24 hours, so the second event is being added at the same price, $60 a person. Those tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday on the inaugural website, coloradopromise .org.
Both venues will feature identical reception and dinner programs, including remarks by and opportunities to mingle with Ritter and Lt. Gov.-elect Barbara O’Brien.
Ritter’s wife, Jeannie, announced the second dinner at a preview of the inaugural dinner menu.
“The public response has been overwhelming,” the state’s next first lady said. “It really speaks volumes about the wonderful people of Colorado.”
Top sponsors
Among those sponsoring the Ritter-O’Brien inaugural celebration:
$20,000 sponsors
1st Bank Holding Company of Colorado
Brownstein Hyatt & Farber
Comcast
HealthOne
Hogan & Hartson
Qwest
United Food & Commercial Workers
Xcel Energy
Coors
Level 3 Communications
$10,000 sponsors
Ameristar Casino Black Hawk
Aurora Economic Development Council
BNSF Railway
Colorado Association of Realtors
Colorado Bankers Association
Colorado Contractors Association
Colorado Credit Union League
Community Education Centers
Rio Tinto Energy America
Gary-Williams
The GEO Group
Union Pacific Railroad
Wal-Mart
Blair Richardson
