Legal Filings

Legal Filings
Aug 31, 2011

Ethics Watch Files Campaign Finance Complaint Against Larimer County Republican Party

Today, Colorado Ethics Watch filed a campaign finance complaint with the Colorado Secretary of State against the Larimer County Republican Party that claims additional negligence by the political party whose chairman resigned after allegations of mismanagement.

During 2010, the Larimer County Republican Party failed to file several reports of contributions and expenditures when those reports were due.  After this came to light, Chairman Larry Carrillo resigned on February 28, 2011.  The Larimer County Republic Party then filed a fine waiver request with the Colorado Secretary of State, and filed on March 4, 2011, the reports of contributions and expenditures that were originally due between August and December 2010.

The Larimer County Republican Party’s March 4 reports failed to individually list all contributions and expenditures of $20 or more, and failed to provide employer information for persons who contributed $100 or more.  The party corrected these deficiencies in its July 6 reports, 124 days after the initial reports were filed.  Pursuant to Colo. Const. art. XXIX, § 10 and C.R.S. § 1-45-111.5, the LCRP could be fined up to $50 per day for each of the six reports was on file without correction.

The Secretary of State has ruled on the fine waiver request, and this action does not seek any penalties related to the delinquencies that were the subject of the fine waiver request and decision.  However, the reports filed on March 4 were incomplete, lacking itemized contribution and expenditure detail, and Ethics Watch claims that additional fines should be accrued for this additional negligence, through the time that complete reports were filed on July 6.

“While this is the same story, this additional negligence is the next chapter of the story and should be given as much consideration and scrutiny by the courts,” said Luis Toro, Executive Director of Colorado Ethics Watch.  “The rogue chairman defense does not apply in this case.  The Larimer County Republican Party slapped something together just to avoid fines, and that should not be acceptable or go unpunished.”