Legal Filings

Legal Filings

Ethics Watch Files Opposition to Colorado Springs Appeal

Ethics Watch Files Opposition to Colorado Springs Appeal

Today, Colorado Ethics Watch filed a brief with the Colorado Court of Appeals opposing an appeal by the City of Colorado Springs regarding a campaign finance case initiated by Ethics Watch earlier this year .  In March, Ethics Watch requested that the City of Colorado Springs investigate and possibly file charges against Douglas Bruce for violating city ordinance when he operated the Reform Team political action committee while also running as a candidate for Colorado Springs City Council. Colorado Springs attempted to transfer the case to the Secretary of State’s office, but Administrative Law Judge Robert Spencer ruled that the Secretary of State has no jurisdiction over alleged violations of campaign finance ordinances enacted by a home rule city such as Colorado Springs.

Douglas Bruce has already filed his opposition to the City’s appeal of Judge Spencer’s decision, and Secretary of State Scott Gessler has asked the Court to accept an amicus curiae brief in support of Judge Spencer’s decision.

“We are disappointed that the City of Colorado Springs did not withdraw its appeal after the election, considering that the law is so clear that municipal ordinances are outside of Secretary of State jurisdiction,” said Luis Toro, director of Colorado Ethics Watch. “At this point, however, we look forward to a ruling from the Court of Appeals that will establish once and for all that Colorado Springs cannot shirk its duty to enforce its own laws. After the Court rules, we hope that Colorado Springs will act quickly to make sure its laws are effectively enforced in the future.”