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The Denver Post, Jan 9, 2009
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The Denver Post, Jan 8, 2009
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The Pueblo Chieftain, Jan 8, 2009
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The Pueblo Chieftain, Jan 8, 2009
ETHICS WATCH FILES CAMPAIGN FINANCE COMPLAINT AGAINST BROOMFIELD CITY MANAGER’S OFFICE AND THREE CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATES
Use of city staff and resources for political campaign activities violates state law
For Immediate Release: DENVER – Today, Colorado Ethics Watch (Ethics Watch) filed campaign finance complaints with the Colorado Secretary of State’s office against Broomfield City Manager George Di Ciero, Assistant City Manager Kevin Standbridge, and incumbent city council candidates Lori Cox, Walter Spader and Linda Reynolds. The complaints stem from a candidate questionnaire that city staff researched and prepared answers to for the incumbents to rely on at a campaign forum.
Documents indicate that Standbridge, with Di Ciero’s approval, instructed city staff to prepare answers to a candidate questionnaire distributed by F.R.I.E.N.D.S. Unlimited (FRIENDS), a nonprofit group providing services to developmentally disabled citizens. The FRIENDS questionnaire was distributed to municipal candidates in preparation for a forum hosted by FRIENDS on October 10, 2007. The day before the forum, Standbridge provided the answers to the incumbent city council members.
The Fair Campaign Practices Act (FCPA) prohibits political subdivisions, like Broomfield, from making any campaign contribution, including paid staff time, which is an in-kind contribution under state law. Therefore, it was unlawful for Di Cero and Strandbridge, in their official capacities, to contribute to the municipal candidate campaigns.
It was also illegal for incumbent candidates Cox, Spader and Reynolds to accept a contribution from the city. Even if the contributions were lawful, none of the candidates reported the contribution in their campaign finance disclosures in violation of the FCPA.
“The law is clear, public officers like Di Ciero and Standbridge are strictly prohibited from spending public funds to influence the outcome of campaigns for political office,” said Chantell Taylor, director of Ethics Watch. “These candidates should be reprimanded for using their positions to gain an unlawful advantage in their re-election campaigns.”
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Ethics Watch is a non-profit, legal watchdog group dedicated to holding public officials in Colorado accountable for their actions. For more information, please visit www.coloradoforethics.org or contact Chantell Taylor at (303) 626-2100 /ctaylor@coloradoforethics.org.
