Colorado: New York

(Photo/Rep. Ed Perlmutter)

Colorado Rep. Ed Perlmutter denied any wrongdoing in securing an earmark for defense consultancy IHS, Inc., a client of disintegrating lobby firm PMA, which is under investigation by the FBI.

(Photo/Rep. Ed Perlmutter)

Perlmutter spokesperson Leslie Oliver asked The Colorado Independent to run a correction as she described the line Perlmutter draws when it comes to the business that mixes earmarks and campaign donations. “We took no campaign money from IHS,” Oliver said. “But yes, we received campaign contributions from PMA’s political action committee.”

IHS won an extra million dollars thanks to Perlmutter and the other members of the Colorado delegation who voted for the IHS earmark, including Wayne Allard, Ken Salazar and Tom Tancredo.

Michael Bennet, left, gestures during a press conference announcing his nomination to the U.S. Senate by Gov. Bill Ritter (Photo/State of Colorado)

After five Democratic governors found themselves in a position to appoint “fully five percent of the Senate” after the 2008 election, only Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter earned high marks, Matt Cooper assesses at Talking Points Memo DC.

Michael Bennet, left, gestures during a press conference announcing his nomination to the U.S. Senate by Gov. Bill Ritter (Photo/State of Colorado)

Senate vacancies opened up after Illinois Sen. Barack Obama and Delaware Sen. Joe Biden won a ticket to the White House. Once there, Obama picked New York Sen.

Strickland, a Democrat, was joining North Carolina Gov. Bev Perdue and Democratic leaders in the U.S. House at an event in Williamsburg, Va.

Strickland wants to talk about the economic challenges facing the country and the need to protect the health, education and public safety services that states and communities provide.

Strickland planned later Friday to talk about the economy with Perdue, Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter and New York Gov. David Paterson.

Strickland's proposed state budget relies heavily on $3.4 billion in anticipated funding from the federal stimulus package.

Senate Republicans blasted Gov. Bill Ritter on Friday, accusing him of going on a junket to support a bloated stimulus package.

Ritter's spokesman, Evan Dreyer, blasted right back, calling the criticism "nothing more than political posturing."

The governor's trip to the East Coast lasted less than 24 hours.

"We don't have time for this nonsense," Dreyer said. "In case they hadn't noticed, the country's in a recession."

Ritter was one of four Democratic governors invited to a Democratic Congressional retreat in Williamsburg, Va.

Dreyer said Ritter left for the retreat Thursday night and was scheduled to fly back Friday afternoon.

"I hope you will reconsider your decision to support the so-called stimulus package and, more importantly, your decision to attend - and thus endorse - this junket," Senate Republicans wrote in a letter initiated by Sen.