The abrupt resignation Thursday of a top elections official at the secretary of state's office happened in the midst of a watchdog group's investigation into her relationship with a local businessman who has contracts with that office.

Holly Lowder, 66, resigned from her post as elections director two months before what is expected to be one of the biggest elections in recent Colorado history. She held that job since 2006. Before that, Lowder served as Alamosa County clerk for about 25 years.

It’s as clear as the Western Skies: Nonprofit 501(c)4s are the new 527s of the Colorado political scene, the latest way that shadowy special interest groups are tapping into seemingly unlimited undisclosed special interest cash to attack or support candidates who can further their agendas. Take, for instance, the Western Skies Coalition, a conservative group claiming to be a 501(c)4 nonprofit dedicated to “promoting issues that make our nation great.”

A left-leaning watchdog organization has informed state Sen. John Penry, R-Grand Junction, it plans to sue him and two other state lawmakers for failing to turn over documents pertaining to a ballot initiative.

According to a letter faxed Wednesday to legislative attorneys, Colorado Ethics Watch plans to ask a judge to force Penry, Rep. Cory Gardner, R-Yuma, and Rep. Frank McNulty, R-Highlands Ranch, to comply with an open-records request.

Over the past 40 years, Colorado has proved one of the most reliably red states in presidential elections. In nine of the past 10 national votes, it has tipped Republican, the only exception coming in 1992 when Ross Perot's independent candidacy divided the GOP base and delivered the state to Bill Clinton.

The Colorado Secretary of State's office leveled a number of fines last week against Las Animas County Commissioner Ken Torres, the Colorado House of Representatives District 64 Republican Party candidate.

According to the Secretary of State's office the most up-to-date info on fines for Torres has it at $1,950. That's $400 for accepting excessive contributions and $1,550 for accepting contributions prior to forming an campaign contribution committee.

Happy Colorado Day. Friday was the anniversary of our admission to statehood in 1876. Many now regard this as a dusty bit of historical trivia, irrelevant today. It's not.

Colorado was only allowed by Congress to become one of the United States on the condition that its form of government would be "not repugnant to the principles of the Declaration of Independence." This is a good time to see how we measure up to that standard, sort of like taking a physical on your birthday.

A Republican issues group drew an ethics complaint Thursday for allegedly failing to report expenditures on behalf of a Jefferson County candidate.

The Senate Majority Fund paid for $25,000 of advertising for Senate candidate Libby Szabo, according to the complaint by Colorado Ethics Watch.

A fund representative could not be reached for comment.

An embattled Republican political committee got more bad news today when Colorado Ethics Watch filed a complaint with the Colorado Secretary of State against the Senate Majority Fund, LLC.

The right could learn a lot from the left. This year will dramatically change politics in the United States. It's the year old façades come crashing down. Regardless of who wins the presidency, or the majority of congressional seats, this election will change perceptions.

Until now, Democrats have been the party of egalitarianism. The party has appeared as champion of the working class and the poor.

A judge decided Tuesday morning that Denver District Attorney Mitch Morrissey acted properly when he declined to prosecute allegations that a top-ranking Republican had violated campaign finance rules.

District Judge Norman Haglund concluded that Morrissey adequately investigated the complaint and that his "charging decisions are well-grounded."

Active duty with the U.S. Marines was eight years behind him when Mike Coffman was called back in 1991 for the first Gulf War.

Overnight, the somewhat obscure second-term state representative from Aurora - described in news accounts as an "affable businessman" - became a celebrity in the House chambers just by not being there.

Coffman's desk on the House floor was draped in a Marine Corps flag and yellow ribbons. His letters were read on the House floor.

It has been more than a year and a half since voters approved Amendment 41, Colorado's sweeping ethics-in-government law which, among other things, requires an Independent Ethics Commission be set up to review questions and complaints about potential violations. The five-member commission is finally in place -- and its recent adoption of the body's own governing rules has raised concerns about conflicts of interest and government transparency.

The new state Independent Ethics Commission, set up by voter-approved Amendment 41, approved rules and procedures that are expected to take effect at the end of August.

That means the panel, with five volunteer members and a paid executive director, will begin considering complaints and developing advisory opinions in September.

The commission voted to adopt procedures during a five- hour meeting Friday. Executive Director Jane Feldman said Monday that she is compiling the final draft document and will submit it soon to the Secretary of State's Office.

The Jefferson County school board has given member Vince Chowdhury until July 25 to respond to its request for his resignation.

Chowdhury pleaded guilty Tuesday to third-degree assault, a misdemeanor, for slapping and allegedly choking his 16-year-old daughter.

The arrest affidavit states Chowdhury became angry after he arrived home on June 17 and his wife and daughter did not quickly open the garage door when he honked his horn.

The Colorado Independent Ethics Commission has developed a series of draft rules for handling ethics complaints against public officials that, for the most part, are both sensible and easy to understand.

Problem is, we can't square several of those rules with Article XXIX of the Colorado Constitution, aka Amendment 41.

This week a district judge is expected to receive arguments in a lawsuit targeting Denver District Attorney Mitch Morrissey over his office's decision to not pursue a criminal case against a Colorado state senator.

Government watchdog groups said rules and procedures proposed by the new state ethics commission allow too much room to dismiss complaints against public officials.

And the County Sheriffs of Colorado fear the rules won't do enough to deter groundless complaints.

The concerns surfaced during a public hearing Monday about the proposed rules for the five- member Independent Ethics Commission.

If you haven't had your fill of fireworks and you care about the accountability of Colorado's public officials, attend the Independent Ethics Commission's public session scheduled for Monday.

The five-member IEC was created under the citizen-initiated Amendment 41, the so-called ethics-in-government law overwhelmingly approved by Colorado voters in November 2006. Following lawsuits, wrangling and foot dragging in assembling the commission, the five officials are ready to consider public comment on their proposed rules of procedure.

It's no longer business as usual for limited liability corporations (LLCs) that want to give money to political candidates, parties or campaigns.

Colorado lawmakers passed a law in 2007 that delineated new rules intended to crack down on contributors who may have been using LLCs as a loophole to bypass existing campaign finance laws - just in time for the 2008 election cycle.  The policy change stems from House Bill 1233, sponsored by Rep. Joel Judd, D-Denver, and signed by Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter.