Bob Schaffer: Bad for Colorado's Western Slope

Michael Goodman, life-long hunter, Rifle, CO:

"Our public lands are being destroyed because oil executive like Bob Schaffer support record profits over responsible drilling," noted Michael Goodman of Rifle, Colorado, who has been hunting elk since he was 18.

Fact:  Schaffer's oil company has an acquisition arm in Colorado's oil industry including 28 producing gas wells in the Piceance Basin of Colorado reported on June 20, 2006. (Aspect Energy website)

Paula Fothergill, life-long angler, Carbondale, CO:

"Our streams our dried up and polluted because Ref A supporters like Bob Schaffer don't protect our water," stated Paula Fothergill of Carbondale, Colorado, who has fished Colorado's streams for over 30 years.  "I know Bob Schaffer is wrong for future generations," she added.

Fact:  Schaffer supported Referendum A to sell off water from Colorado's Western Slope which was ultimately voted down by voters in every single county in Colorado. (RMN, 11/6/2003)

Fact:  Schaffer also fought to sell water from the Western Slope to the highest bidder. (Denver Post, 7/28/2001)

Keith Goddard, hunting guide, Silt, CO:

"I know Bob Schaffer is wrong for Colorado's Western Slope," stated Keith Goddard of Silt, Colorado who has been a hunting guide for 25 years.

Fact:  Schaffer opposed a $280 million plan to control major wildfires on Western lands. (Denver Post, 3/17/1997)  Schaffer was reported as "strangely inactive" on wildfire prevention during the 2002 wildfires. (Denver Post, 7/29/2002)

Fact:  Schaffer opposed the creation of The Great Sand Dunes National Park. (Grand Junction Sentinel, 7/17/2008; Alamosa Valley Courier, August 2004)

Fact:  Schaffer voted to deny federal funding for the Canyon of the Ancients near Durango. (RMN, 6/18/2000)

Fact:  Schaffer voted to ship nuclear waste on Colorado's Highways against the wishes of McInnis and other lawmakers concerned about the Western Slope. (Associated Press, 3/23/2000)

SchafferScandals.com: Bob Schaffer, Big Oil, and the Iraq war >

More facts on Bob Schaffer
and ties to the oil industry:

According to the Center for Responsive Politics, the oil and gas industry was the #1 contributor to each of Schaffer's re-election campaigns for Congress.

As a Congressman, Schaffer voted for over $33 billion in tax breaks for Big Oil (HR 4, vote 320, 8/2/2001)

After Schaffer left Congress, he went straight through the revolving door to Big Oil where he working for oil and gas firm.  There Schaffer took over $156,000 as a lobbyist for the Big Oil in 2003. (AP, 6/15/2004)

According to Schaffer's Personal Financial Disclosures, Schaffer has been paid over $900,000 as an executive for Big Oil (Schaffer Personal Financial Disclosures)

Last January Schaffer was named one of the most "dirty dozen" lawmakers in the country for his abysmal record on environment by the League of Conservation Voters.(Roll Call, January 29, 2008)

Gas and diesel prices are reaching an all time-high ("Gas Prices Skyrocket affecting Southern Colorado Businesses," KRDO.com, Colorado Springs, 4/22/2008; AP 4/23/2008) while oil companies are making record profits.("Say no to big oil" Baltimore Sun, 4/22/2008)

In Colorado gas reached an average this past Tuesday, April 22, 2008 at $3.45 per gallon. (TheDenverChannel.com, April 22, 2008)