Daily Sentinel quoted Schaffer-Cheney host as calling himself "not politically active," but omitted his campaign donations to GOP senator

Summary: Reporting on a Grand Junction fundraiser for U.S. Senate candidate Bob Schaffer (R) that Vice President Dick Cheney would attend, The Daily Sentinel quoted Craig Springer, who would be hosting the event at his home, as saying, "We're not politically active people, necessarily." But the article failed to mention that Springer gave $400 to the 2006 state Senate campaign of Republican Sen. Josh Penry, who "helped work out the arrangements" for the reception at the Springer home.

An April 4 article in The Daily Sentinel of Grand Junction reported that Craig and Jeannean Springer of Grand Junction would host an April 11 fundraiser at their residence for Republican U.S. Senate candidate Bob Schaffer while Vice President Dick Cheney stayed at the couple's home. While the article quoted Craig Springer's claim that "[w]e're not politically active people, necessarily," and reported that state Sen. Josh Penry (R-Grand Junction) "helped work out the arrangements to have the reception for Schaffer at the Springer house," the Daily Sentinel neglected to note that Springer donated $400 -- the maximum amount allowable by any individual -- to Penry's 2006 state Senate campaign.

The Daily Sentinel article by Gary Harmon reported, "Vice President Dick Cheney's host for a local fundraiser next week is no political wheeler-dealer." The article continued:

"We're not politically active people, necessarily," Craig Springer said.

But Springer and his wife, Jeannean, will host Cheney and Republican U.S. Senate candidate Bob Schaffer in a reception at their Grand Junction home April 11.

The idea for the fundraiser sprang from a desire by Colorado Republicans to make a splash in western Colorado. And Grand Junction, as the largest city in the region, was the logical choice, said Dick Wadhams, Schaffer's campaign manager and chairman of the Colorado Republican Party.

When Cheney made himself available for a fundraiser, state Sen. Josh Penry, R-Grand Junction, helped work out the arrangements to have the reception for Schaffer at the Springer house.

Though he's eager to host the vice president and Schaffer, Springer acknowledged that what seemed to make his north-area home most attractive was its proximity to Grand Junction Regional Airport.

It's not as though big contributions drew the eye of the Schaffer campaign. The Springers haven't made any, though they do have strong preferences.

However, the article failed to report that, according to the Colorado Secretary of State's campaign finance database, Craig Springer contributed $400 -- the maximum allowable by an individual -- to Penry's 2006 campaign for state Senate:

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An article posted April 11 on the website of Denver's KMGH 7News stated, "The couple hosting Friday's fundraiser told the Grand Junction Sentinel they are not politically active people, necessarily." However, like the newspaper, 7News did not note that Springer was a Penry campaign contributor.

—C.H.