Michael Bennet Intern Fired In Money-For-Access Scandal

DENVER — An unpaid intern for Colorado Democrat Michael Bennet's Senate campaign has been dismissed after allegedly telling an acquaintance that a one-on-one meeting to discuss a bill with the candidate could be set up for $2,400.

The campaign said the intern was let go Thursday after it learned of the incident, first reported by The Wall Street Journal. Campaign spokesman Trevor Kincaid says the intern took it upon himself "to cross a very serious line" not practiced or supported by the campaign, which has intricate protocols for interns.

The intern, 22-year-old Jeffrey Garofano, a student at Middlebury College in Vermont, didn't respond to an e-mail from The Associated Press seeking comment.

Bennet, appointed last year to the Senate, faces former state House Speaker Andrew Romanoff in the Aug. 10 primary.

Comments

[RayCSpringfield]

02:11 AM on 07/13/2010

I think that Che Guevarra is still dead. You shoud realize that , John

[Tony Duncan]

01:11 AM on 07/12/2010

there is plenty to criticize about Obama and other mainstream democrats, but comparing what Bush and Cheney did to the "offers' of jobs to primary candidates is ludicrous beyond words. Using republican talking points for what is really just politics does not do much for your credibility as a commenter on political issues.

[JohnHKennedy]

11:13 PM on 07/11/2010

Obama's Attorney General Holder FAILS to Investigate "admitted" Federal Crimes of TORTURE by Bush and Cheney, Ignores the WMD Lies that Killed over 4,400 US Soldiers in Iraq, and Ignores the Bush Wire Tapping among many other crimes.

Then he Ignores Rahm Emanuel's assistant, Jim Messina trying to bribe Rep. Sestak and former CO House Speaker Andrew Romanoff to quit their Senate campaigns.

Is it fair to expect that this crime won't be investigated either?

Obama's Chicago Style Machine at work?

[constance c]

06:24 PM on 07/11/2010

At the risk of repeating myself, an intern doesn't even open mail without being told how and when to do it. So an email suggesting exact amounts for pay to play was an instruction given to the intern by someone in Bennet's office. Maybe Bennet should fire the person instructing the interns.

[Sharon Hanson]

09:11 PM on 07/09/2010

This is what some of us have been saying along, that with Bennet you pay to play. And as a sitting senator it does not bode well for him. I’m not surprised. And the die hard Bennet supporters will find a way to dismiss this as being the intern’s fault but his political career is over.

[OurTurn]

06:23 PM on 07/09/2010

Why is Bennet's "intern" from Vermont and not Colorado?

[Turtleposer]

06:27 PM on 07/09/2010

Yep. One wonders . . . .

[Cat-Lover]

06:08 PM on 07/09/2010

Please explain the difference between paying $2,400 for a one-on-one meeting with a politician (if the money goes into the campaign coffer) and paying $25,000 for a rubber-chicken dinner where contributors are alloted time with the candidate. I can't distinguish the difference.

[OurTurn]

06:21 PM on 07/09/2010

I doubt the chicken dinner people are getting one on one time. Sounded like he could have gotten more if he paid more than $2400. The more money you take...the more you owe....and Bennet owes Wall Street and the big banks a lot. They're first in line. And that's one of the differences between him and Romanoff.

[firewmn]

02:15 PM on 07/09/2010

as the intern should be let go..immediately.. kid has real ethics issues.!

[Sharon Hanson]

09:12 PM on 07/09/2010

No Bennet has real ethical issues. He worked for Bennet and Bennet is responsible for the policies he sets.

[nothingchanges]

04:00 PM on 07/10/2010

firewmn......How ethical is it for a Senator to vote against his constituents interests, in favor of big business interests?

I find it intriguing that Senator Bennet voted against the Brown-Kaufman amendment, (too big to fail), while Colorado's other Senator, John Salazar, voted for it.

Especially given that Senator Bennet received a total of $650,464 from financial interests (Banks, Misc Finance, Securities and investment) compared to Senator Salazar's $33,650 from the same sources. (Source Maplight.org)

As far as I know, Senator Bennet has never made a public statement concerning the reasoning behind his "no" vote on Brown-Kaufman. (If anyone knows of one, I would love to read it) That leaves the issue to conjecture, and the inference is not very flattering, or ethical.

In reply to your post......On the contrary, this intern appears to have a great political future ahead of him. If he can just learn not to get caught.

[OurTurn]

10:57 AM on 07/11/2010

While I agree with you, John Salazar is in Congress, not the Senate. Udall is the other Senator.