DENVER - The Colorado Department of Corrections (CDOC) responded to a March 5, 2007, open records request by Colorado Citizens for Ethics in Government (CCEG) that sought documents relating to a private prison contract awarded by CDOC to The GEO Group, Inc.

The documents obtained by CCEG confirm that former Director of Prisons Nolin Renfrow began working for The GEO Group while still on state payroll, a blatant conflict of interest. In an email to Brian Burnett, the deputy executive director of CDOC, Dave Schouweiler, DOC Manager of Purchasing, stated that Renfrow was on state payroll until January 31, 2006 and acknowledged the “impropriety of Mr. Renfrow’s involvement with the originating procurement.”

The CORA request and responsive documents are available on CCEG’s website at www.coloradoforethics.org. CCEG is posting these records as part of its commitment to holding the government responsible for its actions.

***

Colorado Citizens for Ethics in Government (CCEG) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan legal watchdog group dedicated to holding government officials accountable for putting special interests above the public interest. CCEG does not endorse any policy positions with respect to private prisons. For more information, please visit www.coloradoforethics.org or contact Chantell Taylor at (303) 626-2100 ctaylor@coloradoforethics.org