Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper.
Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper. (Cyrus McCrimmon, The Denver Post)

What was supposed to be a reception honoring the new Colorado Oil & Gas Association president turned into a political brouhaha after Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, the Democratic candidate for governor, addressed the crowd.

President Tisha Conoly Schuller announced that Republican contender Scott McInnis also had been invited but had another engagement, but that didn't stop Republican lawmaker Josh Penry from firing off an angry e-mail to oil and gas officials.

Penry, the Senate minority leader, was furious that Hickenlooper got to schmooze the industry Wednesday night at the Sheraton.

"Mayor Hickenlooper is a geologist and he gives a great, 'Aw shucks' speech, but he was in Copenhagen with Hugo Chavez talking about climate change. He supported Amendment 58, the largest tax increase on energy in the history of Colorado," said Penry, R-Grand Junction.

"He is not a friend of the industry."

The mayor, when asked about the attack, provided his own ammo.

"Aw shucks," Hickenlooper said. "Look, lawyers and lobbyists have their roles. I was just glad to speak directly with people from an industry I've worked in and one that's important to creating jobs for Coloradans."

Penry declined to share his e-mail, but said the gist was "the new president was more than a little naive to give Hickenlooper a stage without questioning him on how he's been consistently silent or dead wrong on the issues facing this industry."


Schuller, who was appointed to the job in December, released a statement noting McInnis had been invited.

"We are genuinely sorry the senator is upset," she said.

Hickenlooper frequently cracked up the crowd during his five-minute speech. He talked about his experiences as a geologist in Colorado before being laid off, opening up a brewpub in LoDo and then getting elected Denver mayor in 2003. He dropped the names of oil companies and executives.

"Hickenlooper's an engaging guy," said Rep. Scott Tipton, R-Cortez, who was quick to add he's a McInnis supporter.

Sen. Chris Romer, D-Denver, praised the speech and quoted portions of it that had the audience laughing.

"Clearly he's a person from the industry, supportive of the industry and knows the industry better than half the people in the room," Romer said, adding he was alluding to other lawmakers.

"I think Scott McInnis is in trouble with his perceived monoply of the oil-and-gas industry."

But Penry said the industry is aware of Hickenlooper's record, and that he did nothing to stop new oil-and-gas rules that Republicans say have crippled the industry.

"The biggest economic development issue in this state over the last three years has been oil and gas, including for Denver," Penry said. "There are a lot of these big office buildings that used to be populated and now they're not because of these rules.

"The mayor sat on his hands."

The rules were implemented by Democratic Gov. Bill Ritter's administration. He unexectedly announced this month he was dropping his re-election bid. Hickenlooper then entered the race.

Lynn Bartels: 303-954-5327 or