Marilyn Musgrave



Marilyn Neoma Musgrave, a Republican, represented the 4th District of Colorado in the U.S. House of Representatives between 2003-2009.

In her 2008 re-election campaign, Musgrave was endorsed by several "pro-troop" organizations, including Military Families United, MAF Freedom PAC, the Veterans of Foreign Wars Political Action Group, Veterans' Vision and the National Vietnam and Gulf War Veterans Coalition. She was defeated by Betsy Markey (D) in the November 2008 general election.

Environmental record
For more information on environmental legislation, see the Energy and Environment Policy Portal

ARMPAC recipient
Musgrave received $30,000 in campaign contributions from former majority leader Tom DeLay's ARMPAC. After DeLay was indicted, Musgrave's opponents criticized her for not returning the money or donating it to charity.

Alleged campaign violations
Musgrave is accused of "ethical improprieties" regarding "misuse of official resources for political campaign activity and from abuse of franking privileges" regarding the use of her district office as a campaign headquarters and the concealment of such an action.

Largely because of this and past connections to DeLay, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington labeled Musgrave one of the most corrupt members of Congress in 2005 and 2006.

Bio
Musgrave was born January 27, 1949 in Greeley, Colorado and was educated at Colorado State University. Her career in elective office began in 1991, when she served one term on the school board of Fort Morgan. She served in the Colorado House of Representatives from 1993 to 1997 and in the Colorado Senate from 1997 until her election to Congress.

As a state legislator, Musgrave spent much of her time on social issues, particularly authoring bills to deny marriage rights and parental rights for gays and lesbians seeking recognition as families. One of her final, failed bills would have made it much more difficult for same-sex partners to see their partner's children in the hospital during an emergency. Musgrave also cast the only vote against legislation to give battered spouses paid leave from work.

After Congressman Bob Schaffer retired, Musgrave ran for and won the Republican nomination to succeed him. Due to the strong Republican lean of the district (the district has not elected a Democrat since the Republican landslide of 1972) and a large campaign war chest she defeated Democratic state senate president Stan Matsunaka by double digits.

Musgrave is best known nationally as the main sponsor of the Federal Marriage Amendment.

In 2004, she faced Matsunaka again. Even though she outspent Matsunaka by millions of dollars, she only defeated him by six percentage points--the closest margin in the district since 1974. After the 2004 elections, she was put on a National Republican Congressional Committee list of vulnerable incumbents, which is very unusual since the 4th has long been considered a safe Republican seat.

Musgrave is a supporter of President Bush's Guest-Worker Program for Mexican Immigrants.

2006 elections
In 2006, the Democrats nominated Angie Paccione, and the Reform Party nominated Eric Eidsness to face Musgrave in her November 2006 bid for reelection. (See U.S. congressional elections in 2006) Musgrave retained her seat.

Money in politics
cid=N00025054&cycle=2006

Committees

 * House Committee on Small Business
 * Subcommittee on Regulations, Healthcare, and Trade
 * Subcommittee on Rural and Urban Entrepreneurship
 * House Committee on Agriculture
 * Subcommittee on Specialty Crops, Rural Development and Foreign Agriculture Programs -Ranking Member
 * Subcommittee on Conservation, Credit, Energy, and Research

Committee assignments in the 109th Congress (2005-2006)

 * House Committee on Agriculture
 * Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management
 * House Committee on Education and the Workforce
 * Subcommittee on Employer-Employee Relations
 * Subcommittee on Education Reform
 * House Committee on Resources
 * Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation Wildlife and Oceans
 * Subcommittee on National Parks Recreation and Public Lands
 * House Committee on Small Business
 * Subcommittee on Rural Enterprises Agriculture and Technology
 * Subcommittee on Workforce Empowerment and Government Programs - Chair

Contact
DC Office: 1507 Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone: 202-225-4676 Fax: 202-225-5870 Email: Rep.Musgrave AT mail.house.gov Web Email Website

District Office - Greeley: 5400 Eleventh Street Greeley, CO 80634 Phone: 970-352-4037 Fax: 970-521-1915

District Office - Las Anima: 332 Ambassador Thompson Boulevard Las Animas, CO 81054 Phone: 719-456-0925 Fax: 719-456-0911

District Office - Longmont: 380 Main Street Longmont, CO 80501 Phone: 720-494-4336 Fax: 720-494-1768

District Office - Loveland: 5401 Stone Creek Circle, Suite 204 Loveland, CO 80538 Phone: 970-663-3536 Fax: 970-663-5270

District Office - Sterling: 109 1/2 South Third Street Sterling, CO 80721 Phone: 970-522-1788 Fax: 970-521-9685

Related SourceWatch articles

 * MAF Freedom PAC

External resources

 * Official website
 * Campaign website
 * Right Web Profile
 * Musgrave cuts wages
 * On the Issues
 * Marian Wilkinson
 * Open Secrets - 2006 congressional races database

External articles

 * Devout Christian begins new crusade The Age (Australia) February 26, 2004.
 * "CREW releases second annual most corrupt members of Congress report," Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, September 20, 2006.
 * Robert Moore, "Vet group's $370,000 ad campaign targets Musgrave," The Coloradoan, September 3, 2008.

Local blogs and discussion sites

 * Non-Prophet
 * Colorado Pols: Politics, News, and Inside Information
 * NewWest.net -- A Refreshing, new kind of journalism.