Legal Filings

Legal Filings
Mar 29, 2012

Court of Appeals Affirms Ruling Against Colorado Springs

                Today, the Colorado Court of Appeals affirmed an administrative law judge’s ruling that the City of Colorado Springs must enforce its own campaign finance ordinances. The case arose from a request for investigation filed by Ethics Watch in 2011 against Douglas Bruce and the Reform Team PAC. Instead of investigating the allegations itself, as contemplated by the Colorado Springs City Charter, the City attempted to transfer the investigation by filing its own complaint with the Colorado Secretary of State’s office, which in turn referred the matter to the Office of Administrative Courts. Administrative Law Judge Robert Spencer dismissed the City’s complaint, ruling that the City must investigate and enforce its own campaign finance laws.

                “It is no secret that Colorado Springs’ system for regulating money in its municipal elections is badly in need of reform,” said Luis Toro, Director of Colorado Ethics Watch. “We hope that today’s ruling will make City leaders realize that they need to modernize their system and not just hope the Secretary of State will take care of their problems for them.”

                The Secretary of State’s office filed an amicus brief in support of Ethics Watch’s position in the case.