Legal Filings

Legal Filings

Ethics Watch Calls On Springs to Require Americans For Prosperity To Disclose Spending

Today, Colorado Ethics Watch called on the City of Colorado Springs to require Americans for Prosperity to file the required disclosures regarding its spending related to the Colorado Springs mayoral runoff election.

Evidence obtained by Ethics Watch shows that Americans for Prosperity has been running a television ad targeting mayoral candidate Richard Skorman and has spent up to $100,000 on this effort. Under the Fair Campaign Practices Act, which has been adopted by ordinance to govern Colorado Springs municipal elections, groups that pay for “electioneering communications” must disclose any spending in excess of $1000, as well as the identity of any contributor who provided more than $250. Americans for Prosperity began running the ads around April 26, yet did not file a disclosure statement on the May 9 disclosure deadline.

“Colorado Springs voters are entitled to know who is spending money to influence an election as important as the city’s first-ever mayoral runoff,” said Luis Toro, Director of Ethics Watch. “We hope the city will act swiftly to enforce transparency and protect the voters’ right to know.”

Under Colorado Springs ordinance, a group that willfully fails to file required reports can face a fine of up to $500.