McInnis articles for Hasan Foundation difficult to track down

Colorado Republican gubernatorial candidate Scott McInnis on the Caplis and Silverman KHOW radio show April 26, discussed his tax returns and addressed roughly $150,000 he earned from the GOP friendly Hasan Family Foundation after he left Congress. “How does a lawyer get in on that,” Craig Silverman asked him, one lawyer to another. (See transcript here.)

“I wrote a series of in-depth articles on water, Colorado water. And so, that’s what that was about. And so I was pretty excited to do it,” McInnis answered him, adding later: “When I got out [from Congress], we were having a conversation, and they said, we’d be interested in doing this if you’d be interested in helping put together some articles at some point, [that] could be used in a series for education on water in Colorado. So that’s what that was about. And I was thrilled to do it. I got paid to do it. That’s pretty sweet.”

The articles aren’t available through Nexis and didn’t come up in a Google search.

The Hasan Family Foundation website contains a photo of McInnis next to a short description of his “senior fellowship” and a link to a presentation titled “Colorado Water Analysis” by Muhammad Ali Hasan. McInnis’ name is listed below Hasan’s. On the next line appear the words “The Hasan Family Foundation” and below that “Water Project Wing – Congressman Scott McInnis.”

Ali Hasan emailed a response to questions, saying that he had added a note to his “Colorado Water Analysis” clarifying that Scott McInnis was not an author of the presentation. The note stated, in part, “Analysis written and conducted solely by Muhammad Ali Hasan, under the guidance of Professor James Sadd of Occidental College.”

So what did McInnis write during his Hasan fellowship? Hasan Family Foundation attorney Glenn Merrick didn’t have an immediate answer. He believed any articles McInnis may have authored for the foundation would likely have been turned over to the foundation as part of the fellowship but he said inquiries should be directed to McInnis.

“I think you’ll have to get those [articles] from Mr. McInnis,” Merrick said.

Asked to describe the articles– what McInnis outlined on the radio as pieces that “could be used in a series for education on water in Colorado.”

“Well, I think [the writing] was intended to educate an audience who had a keen interest in this topic,” Merrick said. “It was intended to allow the foundation to distribute to that audience. But I don’t know precisely who the audience is. If McInnis wants to give it to you, and he authored it, then I think that’s acceptable.”

McInnis campaign spokesman Sean Duffy could not provide a comment or response on the matter Monday or Tuesday.

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