A coalition backed by millionaire Jared Polis is running a radio ad that singles out Senate President Joan Fitz-Gerald as "the one Colorado politician to put up a roadblock" to an ethics measure Polis helped put on the ballot last year.

Critics say the ad is misleading on a number of fronts, including the fact that it never mentions the two lawmakers who are leading the charge against a Polis- backed plan for implementing Amendment 41.

Those two lawmakers, Sens. Peter Groff, D-Denver, and Andy McElhany, R-Colorado Springs, said Wednesday that the radio spot sounds more like a thinly veiled campaign ad.

That's because Polis and Fitz-Gerald are considered leading contenders for the Democratic nomination in the 2nd Congressional District next year.

Even those behind the ad admit it was intended to spur calls from constituents in the district Fitz-Gerald represents and the district "she aspires to represent."

"It smacks of intimidation," Fitz-Gerald, D-Coal Creek Canyon, said Wednesday. "But I'm a big girl. I can take it."

The ad was paid for by the Article 29 Coalition, which includes individuals and groups who support Amendment 41 and House Bill 1304, a bill that implements the measure.

Coalition spokesman Eric Sondermann said Fitz-Gerald was named in the ad because as Senate president "she can either push this thing through or derail it."

"Clearly she has chosen the latter course," he said. "There are other people working with her and doing some of the dirty work, but Senator Fitz-Gerald is clearly pulling the strings."

The ad began airing Tuesday on seven or eight radio stations and was set to run through Monday. It's unclear if it will continue running now that lawmakers have reached a compromise and HB 1304 is no longer in play.

The radio spot asks listeners to call Fitz-Gerald and tell her to "quit playing political games."

Sondermann declined to say how much the ad cost.

Likewise, Polis won't disclose whether he is paying for the lion's share of the Article 29 Coalition's tab for legal, lobbying and consulting fees.

Some coalition members, including the Colorado Public Interest Research Group, are furious over the ad and said they were never consulted about the content.

"When I heard about it, I said, 'Are you kidding me?' " said Rex Wilmouth, director of CoPirg. "Why would we go after the Senate president?"

That was McElhany's question, too.

"The beneficial thing to do is pull together and get this thing fixed instead of buying ads to make the Senate president look bad," McElhany said.

The ad opens by referring to the passage last November of Amendment 41.

"The intent of it is was pretty clear - to keep lobbyists from giving gifts and freebies to elected officials," an announcer says.

Groff and McElhany, however, said that Amendment 41 was anything but clear, which is why lawmakers are fighting over it. They also said Polis has admitted it was "poorly worded."

Amendment 41, in part, limits elected officials, government workers, their families and those with government contracts from receiving gifts of $50 or more.

Questions include such things as whether the daughter of a snowplow operator for the highway department can get a scholarship and whether an injured firefighter can accept donations.

HB 1304 makes it clear that those situations aren't impacted by Amendment 41.

Radio ad

Man's voice:

"OK, this gets a bit complicated, so follow along.

"Remember last November when we passed Amendment 41? The intent of it was pretty clear - to keep lobbyists from giving gifts and freebies to elected officials. But now, a few politicians are interpreting it all wrong, depriving kids of scholarships and ranchers of blizzard relief.

"Now stay with me. Here's the good part. You see, there's a bill in the legislature - House Bill 1304 - that would clarify what's OK (scholarships) and what's not (Nuggets tickets and free lunch.)

"But now one Colorado politician has put up a roadblock. Senate President Joan Fitz-Gerald. She can push 1304 through the Senate. Instead, she stopped it.

"Call Joan Fitz-Gerald and tell her to quit the political games. Call 303-866-3342. That's 303-866-3342. And learn more at coloradoethics.com.

"Joan Fitz-Gerald has a decision to make: Do what's right for lobbyists or what's right for Colorado.

"Paid for by Coloradans for Sensible Ethics, the Article 29 coalition."

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