Scott McInnis

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Scott McInnis
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Colorado's 3rd district
In office 1993 – 2005
Preceded by	Ben Nighthorse Campbell
Succeeded by	John Salazar
Born	May 9, 1953 (1953-05-09) (age 55) Glenwood Springs, Colorado
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Lori Smith McInnis
Religion	Roman Catholic

Scott Steve McInnis (born May 9, 1953) is a former Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Colorado.

Born in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, McInnis graduated from Glenwood Springs High School and attended Mesa State College. He earned a B.A. from Fort Lewis College in 1975 and a J.D. from St. Mary's University in San Antonio, Texas in 1980. He served as a police officer in Glenwood Springs, served as a hospital director and started a law practice in Colorado. He married Lori Smith with whom he has a daughter and two children from a previous marriage.

From 1983 to 1993, McInnis served in the state house of representatives. In 1992, he was successfully elected to the U.S. House of Representatives representing Colorado's 3rd district and served from 1993 to 2005.

Scott McInnis was investigated by the Federal Election Commission (FEC case #5618) starting in November 2004 for using his campaign committee to pay his wife a salary of more than $40,000, plus an additional $1,150 per month, plus additional funds for a car and cell phone. (Denver Post, 11/12/2004). While such an arrangement is not unheard of, McInnis did not actually have an active campaign at that point. He already had announced in the summer of 2003 that he would not seek another term, yet still kept his wife on the campaign payroll for over a year after his decision not to run. (Washington Post, 11/10/2004) On November 8th, 2005, the FEC dropped their complaint against McInnis. The FEC's General Counsel office stated that the complaint was considered of a low priority compared to "other higher rated matters" and recommended dismissal. (Rocky Mountain News, 2/7/2007).

McInnis' current rival for the Senate seat, Democratic Congressman Mark Udall, cosponsored legislation in early 2007 to make it illegal for a federal candidate to pay an immediate family member from campaign donations.

On September 29, 2004, just over three months before McInnis left office, he made a contribution of $5,000 to the DeLay Legal Expense Trust, the legal defense fund for then-Majority Leader Tom DeLay. (Center for Responsive Politics) Two months after that donation, and following DeLay's indictment, McInnis voted to amend Republican Caucus rules that required anyone under indictment to resign from any leadership position. The rule amendment passed, allowing DeLay to remain majority leader. (RMN, 11/21/2004)

McInnis is a member of the American Legislative Exchange Council and is an honorary adviser for the National Student Leadership Conference.

[edit] Electoral history

[edit] References

• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Voting record maintained by The Washington Post
• Scott McInnis at NNDB