Ethics Watch Files Campaign Finance Complaint Against Lakewood Safe Streets Committee

On August 25, Ethics Watch filed a complaint with the Colorado Secretary of State against the Lakewood Safe Streets Committee for receiving contributions and making expenditures while failing to file as an issue committee. 

Ethics Watch's complaint named Lakewood Safe Streets Committee as proponents of the so-called Lakewood Impound Initiative.  Documentation obtained by Ethics Watch suggests that this group is an unincorporated association formed to accept contributions and make expenditures in support of a proposed ballot question for the 2009 Lakewood municipal ballot.  The ballot initiative would amend the Lakewood Municipal Code to require mandatory and immediate impounding of motor vehicles whose operators are not in possession of a valid operator's license and to require persons who drive while not in possession of such a license to pay a land acquisition fee and post a bond. 

State law provides for a $50 per day penalty for late filings.  Since expenditures apparently began as early as April 24, 2009, Ethics Watch has asked that the committee be fined $50 per day from the date it received its first contribution through the date it finally registers as an issue committee.  As of August 25, that fine exceeds $6,000.

Read the complaint here.

Read the Lakewood Edge story here. 

Ethics Watch Files Campaign Finance Complaint Against Four Representatives of Aurora Impound Initiative

The day after filing a complaint in Lakewood, Ethics Watch filed a similar complaint with the Aurora City Clerk against four proponents of the Aurora Impound Initiative for receiving contributions and making expenditures while failing to register as an issue committee.  

"Given that proponents of this type of initiative properly registered in Denver but are apparently skirting the law in Aurora as well as Lakewood, we're led to believe this is not an accident," said Luis Toro, senior counsel at Colorado Ethics Watch.  "Rather, these groups are demanding strict penalties for people who forget to carry their drivers' licenses while failing to disclose information about their efforts to change the law in unsuspecting municipalities.  These groups who blatantly ignore the law must be held accountable for their actions."

Read the complaint here.

Listen to Luis on the Mario Solis-Marich show here.  

IEC Issues Position Statement on Amendment 41's Revolving Door Ban

On August 24, the Colorado Independent Ethics Commission (IEC) issued its first position statement interpreting the anti-revolving door provision of Amendment 41, which was approved by voters in 2006.  The IEC ruled that Amendment 41 prevents state legislators from serving as professional lobbyists or as "legislative liasons" hired by state agencies to lobby the legislature for two years after leaving office, but does not prevent former state legislators from becoming members of the governor's cabinet or serving in other public positions that have never been subject to lobbyist registration requirements.

Ethics Watch continues to monitor and post all information, rulings and hearings related to the IEC's actions at Eye on the IEC.