Founded in 2006, Colorado Ethics Watch is a nonpartisan, nonprofit 501(c)(3) watchdog group that holds public officials and organizations legally accountable for unethical activities that undermine the integrity of government in Colorado. We accomplish our goals using the following tactics:

• Litigation
• Colorado Open Records Act requests (CORAs)
• Ethics complaints
• Requests for government audits and criminal investigations

Ethics Watch is the only group in Colorado using hard-hitting, direct legal action against government officials for abusing the public trust.

Ethics Watch is a state-based project of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), a non-partisan 501(c)(3) organization that targets government officials who sacrifice the common good to special interests. CREW has led the fight against corruption in the federal government through aggressive research and litigation. In tandem with legal actions, CREW executes a comprehensive communications strategy to educate the public on CREW's activities and mobilize support for reform.

Based on CREW's model, Ethics Watch files complaints with the Secretary of State against those who violate campaign finance law and files requests for documents from state agencies and the General Assembly under Colorado's public records law. Ethics Watch also relies on media coverage as an additional deterrent to unethical behavior. In this way, Ethics Watch encourages a cleaner Colorado government.