February 06, 2009 01:53 AM UTC

McLobbyist to make a run for Gov?

• 0 Comments
• by: ClubTwitty

Mike Saccone of the GJ Sentinel has picked up a story from the Denver Post Politics West suggesting that former 3rd CD Representative McInnis may be angling for a run at Governor in 2010:

Republican Scott McInnis is starting to sound more and more like a gubernatorial candidate.

The former Congressman hasn’t made any official announcements yet, but on Wednesday he talked about his intention to put a poll into the field to take the pulse of state voters on a variety of issues.  And  while he applauded Gov. Bill Ritter’s focus on  building a “green economy,” he appeared to also chide him for not viewing things through a wider lense (sic).

Saccone adds no very little original content so (although I found the story there) I’ll stick with the Post posting.  

UPDATED to correct my error re: Saccone’s posting which did include a minimal amount of original content.  Sorry Mike, please keep it up.

After handing his congressional seat over to the Democrats in 2004, McInnis promptly went to work at Hogan & Hartson, as a lawyer-lobbyist at the same firm that Tom Strickland worked with during his two failed senate bids, and through 2007.    

Current GOP chair Dick Wadhams helped incumbent Wayne Allard defeat Strickland, twice, in part by labeling him a lawyer-lobbyist.

When Wadhams worked for Allard in 1996 and 2002, his two-time opponent Democrat Tom Strickland was widely regarded as the smarter candidate. But Wadhams successfully cast Strickland as an untrustworthy “lawyer-lobbyist” and Allard as a likable, low-key country vet.

While at Hogan & Hartson McLobbyist’s McInnis’ clients have included Canadian energy giant EnCana.  

EnCana is featured today in the Christian Science Monitor in an article about the increasing levels of contamination finding its way into Colorado’s water sources.  

Energy industry officials say there’s no evidence that hydraulic fracturing contaminates groundwater or threatens public health.

“This is an answer in search of a problem,” says Doug Hock, a spokesman for EnCana, the firm that is drilling near Bracken’s land. “Chemicals in themselves do not create risk; risk is created when the proper technology and procedures are not in place. We take very stringent precautions.”

Colorado fined EnCana $371,000 – the largest fine in state history for a drilling-related incident – after finding the company responsible for the 2004 gas seep in Divide Creek. But the state is allowing drilling to continue in the area.

New rules currently being debated in Colorado would require set backs from drinking water sources and disclosure of the chemical soup used in fraccing.  

But EnCana lobbyist potential candidate McInnis thinks the regulations go to far, according to the Post blog:

McInnis, a lawyer at Hogan & Hartson, also questioned whether state oil and gas regulations expected to go into effect in April are too stringent.

“We need a reasonable balance. If you come to Colorado to do business, you have to act responsiblity,” he said.  “But should we have possibly the toughest regulations in the country? I don’t think so.”

Meanwhile to some Republicans, McInnis does not lean far enough right.  A comment posted on the Post blog notes:

You’re wasting your time. Even if Scott decides to come through (for once) he’d be instantly trounced by Josh Penry in a primary. Scott-lawyer-lobbyist McInnis has absolutely ruined his credibility (if he ever had any) with the right wing of our party and as one of his former boosters and constituents I’ll tell you that we’re still mad at him for throwing Colorado in to the blue column just so he could make a couple million bucks. None of you in the media should be surprised that he’s floating his name for guv. It’s part of his contract with Hogan and Hartson to make sure he keeps the chattering class chattering abotu (sic)him so that he looks valuable to clients. Believe me…it’s true.