In a recent statement to club members, civil-rights lawyer Morris Dees pressed against the “greening of hate”; soon after, 13 past presidents signed a letter to the board expressing concern about the viability of the club. Says club president Larry Fahn: “There have been outside organizations attempting to influence the outcome of this election. It’s happened before at relatively modest levels, but never with this intensity.”
For their part, anti-immigration leaders–they call themselves “reform” candidates–are outraged at being associated with extremists. Three of them sued Fahn last month over election tactics, though they soon dropped their suit. “I’m being blamed for groups I don’t have anything to do with,” says Richard Lamm, reform board candidate and former Colorado governor. “My family marched in Selma. They know damn well I’m not a racist.”
