Colorado: Defenders Of Wildlife

March 12, 2009 - 06:45 pm

Musgrave lands new gig with antiabortion political group

Former Rep. Marilyn Musgrave will lead a new antiabortion initiative dubbed “Votes Have Consequences” that will target members of Congress in the 2010 election cycle who support abortion rights.

In a case of supreme irony, Musgrave intends to rip a page from the hardball playbook used by the Defenders of Wildlife. The environmental group that was credited with helping to defeat the three-term Republican congresswoman with intense local organizing and a $1.6 million barrage of TV attack ads — a strategy that was roundly criticized by Republicans.

Musgrave and her new boss, Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the Susan B. Anthony List, told the Coloradoan they would mimic the same scorched-earth tactics:

“We need to know that the person that we defeat has a scalp that we can hold up high and say their pro-abortion leadership is why they lost,” Dannenfelser said.

Fri, 10/31/2008 - 14:38

CO-4 independent spending third-highest in the nation

More than $3.6 million has been dropped in the 4th Congressional District race by political parties and interest groups -- the third-highest amount spent by independent groups in any U.S. House race in the country.

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Sun, 10/19/2008 - 20:05

Defenders of Wildlife looks for another victory in CO-4, one voter at a time

FORT COLLINS--On a Saturday afternoon, Mildred Weidemann had backed her car halfway out of her driveway before Chris Longo stopped her to ask who she planned to vote for November.

"I'm not gonna tell you," the 74-year-old Weidemann answered firmly before continuing on her way.

"I get that answer a lot," Lombo explained as Weidemann drove away. "They say their vote is private, and I try to respect that."

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Thu, 10/02/2008 - 18:46

Several radio stations pull anti-Musgrave ad off the air

Clear Channel radio stations in Colorado have temporary pulled a radio advertisement by the 501(c)4 environmental group Defenders of Wildlife attacking Marilyn Musgrave, according to Musgrave's campaign and Defenders of Wildlife.

Wed, 10/01/2008 - 13:22

New TV ad hits Palin for supporting hunting wolves from planes

[img_assist|nid=2448|title=Sarah Palin|desc=Getty Images Photo |link=none|align=right|width=175|height=117]UPDATED 10/1/2008 1:32 p.m. 

The 501(c)4 environmental group Defenders of Wildlife will begin airing a new television ad in Colorado this week attacking Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin for supporting aerial killing of wolves as governor of Alaska.

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Tue, 09/30/2008 - 18:48

Defenders of Wildlife unleashes new anti-Musgrave ads

Defenders of Wildlife, an independent environmental organization, is back on the airwaves this week with new ads attacking U.S. Rep. Marilyn Musgrave.

The 501(c)4 group is already airing a radio ad hitting Musgrave for, among other things, "giv(ing) billions in tax breaks to Big Oil" and co-sponsoring a bill that would benefit her coin-collecting husband by reducing capital-gains taxes on coins and precious metals.

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Wed, 09/24/2008 - 19:39

Markey hits back at Musgrave accusations with new attack ad

[img_assist|nid=2307|title=Congressional candidate Betsy Markey|desc=Campaign Photo|link=none|align=right|width=175|height=198]Fourth Congressional District Democratic nominee Betsy Markey, after a week and a half of being put on the defensive by incumbent U.S. Rep. Marilyn Musgrave's attack ads, hit back Tuesday with an attack ad of her own.

"They say the only things you can count on are death and taxes -- add Marilyn Musgrave's lies," begins Markey's new ad, which is airing on broadcast television.