Betsy Markey's campaign Thursday questioned incumbent U.S. Rep. Marilyn Musgrave's co-sponsorship of a bill that would appear to almost halve capital gains taxes on $50,000-$100,000 worth of precious metals and coins owned by Musgrave's husband.

Markey's campaign made the accusation after being on the defensive for the past few days about an attack ad by Musgrave's campaign questioning Markey's own personal finances.

"With what (Musgrave's) flinging at us today - I'm sorry this week - with this ad, it raises a few questions, I think, that bear some closer scrutiny on her part," said Markey spokesperson Ben Marter.

The bill in question, H.R. 2883, would reduce the federal capital gains tax on gold, silver, platinum and palladium coins and bullion from 28 percent to 15 percent, the typical capital gains rate on stocks and mutual funds.

Musgrave is one of nine co-sponsors on the bill, which was introduced in June by U.S. Rep. Shelley Berkley (D-Nevada).

Marter questioned Musgrave's interest in the bill, given that her 2008 personal financial disclosure form for the U.S. House of Representatives states that her husband Steve owns between $50,000-$100,000 worth of "precious metals and coins."

"Holding between 50 (thousand) and 100,000 dollars worth of what I can only imagine are gold coins, and even voting on this bill - this might have been a recusal situation for her, but co-sponsoring the bill seems like it would directly, personally benefit Musgrave," Marter said. "I can't imagine how many of her constituents have $100,000 worth of gold coins. It looks like she's looking out for number-one."

If the bill passed and the capital gains tax were lowered 13 percent, selling $50,000 worth of gold coins would net the seller an additional $6,500.

Musgrave manager Jason Thielman responded that Musgrave "always votes to cut taxes every time there's an opportunity to do so.

"She makes an income, and she votes to cut the income tax. She owns stock, so she votes to cut the capital gains tax," Thielman said. "She drives a car and buys gas, and she's voted to cut the gas tax. That's her record, and she's very proud of the fact that she always votes to cut taxes."

Thielman said he didn't know what specific coins and metals Steve Musgrave, a coin collector owned.

But he said the attack was "a desperate attempt to change the topic from the mounting  ethical problems facing Betsy Markey and her campaign as they try to explain away her violation of federal violation and Senate ethics rules."

Musgrave's campaign released a television ad several days ago questioning whether Markey used her position as a U.S. Senate staffer to enrich her information technology company through no-bid government contracts.

Markey claimed she divested her share in the company, Syscom Systems, in October of 2005 -- several months after being hired as U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar's northern Colorado district director.

The chief counsel of the U.S. Senate Ethics Committee, responding to a request for clarification by Salazar, told Markey that if she remained co-owner of Syscom, the company wouldn't be able to get government contracts with agencies she might deal with as a Senate staffer.

But from the time she took the job, according to the Fort Collins Coloradoan, one of Markey's primary tasks was to help constituents who had problems with government agencies such as the Social Security Administration or Department of Veterans Affairs.  

Federal records show both agencies have done business with Syscom, including a $43,423 contract to the Social Security Administration in October 2005 for automatic data processing and telecommunications services.

One such