Identifies 100+ Hours of Unaccounted Time and $36,000 in Related Campaign Contributions

DENVER – Through open records requests and other research, Colorado Ethics Watch has identified significant blocks of time on the official calendar of Secretary of State Mike Coffman that were either used for meetings with potential funders of his congressional campaign, or are unaccounted for as private appointments and meetings. In the meantime, it is unclear whether Secretary Coffman is meeting critical goals and deadlines required of him as Colorado Secretary of State.

Secretary Coffman announced his candidacy for Congress on November 5, 2007. According to Secretary Coffman’s calendar, between October 1, 2007 and January 31, 2008, he raised at least $36,000 for his congressional campaign from meetings with donors during his work week and some during official business hours. In addition, Ethics Watch identified more than 100 hours of unaccounted work time on Secretary Coffman’s calendar labeled as private appointments or meetings.

“Secretary Coffman’s official duties are clearly taking a back seat to his congressional campaign,” said Chantell Taylor, director of Colorado Ethics Watch. “It’s no wonder he has been heavily criticized by both parties for botching the voter certification process and setting the state up for a potentially disastrous election this fall. Legal guidelines are in place for a reason. He must either learn to follow them or decide which role he prefers -- congressional candidate or Colorado Secretary of State.

As Secretary of State, Mike Coffman is responsible for facilitating and enabling all necessary systems for fair and efficient elections in Colorado, including the state’s voter registration database. His efforts in this area have been highly controversial, putting the outcome of November’s elections in doubt. Secretary Coffman was also the subject of a state audit in December 2007 that identified several items of non-compliance in areas of voting and elections. In response to the audit, Secretary Coffman agreed to bring his office into compliance by the end of March.

More information about the open records request regarding Secretary Coffman’s campaign activities, as well as other recent complaints about the pattern of misconduct by the Secretary of State, is available online at www.coloradoforethics.org.