DENVER – In a first-of-its-kind review of legislature votes on ethical issues, Colorado Ethics Watch, a nonpartisan, nonprofit legal watchdog group, today released Ethics & Transparency: 2010 Legislation in Review, revealing how the Colorado legislature stands on issues critical to a more ethical, transparent and accountable state government.

Today, Colorado Ethics Watch filed a campaign and political finance complaint with the Colorado Secretary of State against Clear the Bench Colorado, alleging violations of Colorado campaign law that could result in thousands of dollars in fines and greater restrictions placed on this group that is advocating for the defeat of four Colorado Supreme Court justices who will stand for retention in November 2010.

DENVER - Today, Colorado Ethics Watch filed a petition with the Colorado Supreme Court, asking it to review the Court of Appeals’ March 18 decision holding that under Colorado’s Amendment 27, spending on political ads cannot be regulated as “expenditures” unless the ads contain both “magic words” such as “vote for” and some “express exhortation” to vote for or against a candidate

DENVER – Colorado Ethics Watch, a nonpartisan, nonprofit legal watchdog group, yesterday filed a supplemental brief in a case that promises to shed the state’s first light on the effect of Citizens United on Colorado campaign finance law.  

DENVER – Colorado Ethics Watch, a nonpartisan, nonprofit legal watchdog group, today filed a complaint with Rep. Terrance Carroll, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, asking the House to investigate Rep. Steve King (R-HD 54) and determine whether he received payment from the State of Colorado for travel expenses that were actually paid by his campaign committee.

Across the state, political and ethical scandals were one of the highlights of water cooler discussion last year. Colorado Ethics Watch today released its list of the Top Five Ethics Scandals of 2009 based on a busy year of watching, researching and litigating in many of these circumstances.

 

Yesterday, the Denver District Court ruled in favor of Colorado Ethics Watch on a claim against the IEC for violation of the Open Meetings Act.

DENVER - Today, Colorado Ethics Watch is pleased to announce that Luis Toro, its current senior counsel, will assume the role of director effective January 1, 2010.

Ethics Watch’s current director, Chantell Taylor, has accepted the position of general counsel for the U.S. Public Interest Research Group and the Public Interest Network, a national network of public interest advocacy groups.

Ethics Watch asked the federal Office of the Special Counsel (OSC) to investigate whether Meghann Silverthorn violated the Hatch Act by running a partisan political campaign for the Douglas County, Colorado School Board while employed by the Department of Defense, Defense Contract Management Agency.

Colorado Ethics Watch learned late Friday that, in response to a complaint it filed, a special prosecutor for the City of Fort Collins found probable cause to believe that City Council candidate Andrew Boucher violated Fort Collins campaign finance laws.  Boucher has entered into a deferred prosecution agreement that will result in no charges being filed if he avoids further charges for campaign finance violations for one year.

DENVER – Colorado Ethics Watch, a nonpartisan, nonprofit legal watchdog group, today filed a 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.   This is the second such complaint filed by Ethics Watch in so many days.  Yesterday, Ethics Watch filed its complaint against Lakewood Impound Initiative supporters.

DENVER - Colorado Ethics Watch, a nonpartisan, nonprofit legal watchdog group, today 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.

DENVER – In honor of Colorado Day on August 1, Colorado Ethics Watch released a list of Top Ethics Scandals in Colorado History.  The list ranges from outrageous to outlandish, and is a valuable reminder of how a government that operates without public scrutiny or accountability can wield dangerous results.   The report describes five of the most egregious ethics scandals in our state history, ranging from election fraud to government-sanctioned racial discrimination and brutality.   

DENVER – Colorado Ethics Watch, a nonpartisan, nonprofit legal watchdog group, today filed a complaint with the Aurora City Clerk against Aurora Council Member Ryan Frazier for failure to file accurate financial disclosures between 2007 and 2009.   

Ethics Watch, today released Ethics Roundup 2009: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, the organization’s second annual report highlighting 11 of Colorado’s public officials or agencies who have either committed ethics violations or taken commendable action to promote higher ethical standards.

DENVER - Today, Colorado Ethics Watch, Colorado Common Cause and New Era Colorado, joined together to call on the CSU Board of Governors to rescind its closed door decision naming Joe Blake as the sole finalist for CSU chancellor. The groups also called upon the Board of Governors to start a new, transparent search process to consider a number of qualified applicants, including Mr. Blake.  The group decried the process as tainted by a lack of transparency and apparent conflicts of interest.

Ethics Watch,yesterday, filed a complaint with Denver District Court against the Colorado Independent Ethics Commission (IEC), asking the court to void an April 17 advisory opinion allowing a lawmaker to take a junket to Turkey. 

Today, Ethics Watch supplemented its initial request and renewed its call on Secretary of State Bernie Buescher to launch an immediate inquiry into whether former U.S. Congressman Scott McInnis is in violation of state campaign finance law by publicly announcing his candidacy for governor and subsequently soliciting, receiving or expending campaign funds before registering a candidate committee. 

DENVER - Today, Denver District Court Judge Norman Haglund ruled that the Colorado Independent Ethics Commission’s (IEC) withholding of documents from public review was improper, and ordered the IEC to give Ethics Watch access to review documents regarding advisory opinions and letter rulings within 15 days. In addition, the judge awarded attorneys fees to Ethics Watch in the case.

DENVER – Colorado Ethics Watch, a nonpartisan, nonprofit legal watchdog group, today called on Secretary of State Bernie Buescher to launch an immediate inquiry into whether former U.S. Congressman Scott McInnis is in violation of state campaign finance law by announcing his candidacy for governor and subsequently soliciting, receiving or expending campaign funds before registering a candidate committee.  Ethics Watch also asked the secretary of state to investigate whether Mr. McInnis violated laws prohibiting coordination between a candidate and a 527 political organization.