Colorado Citizens for Ethics in Government (CCEG), a nonprofit legal watchdog group, released 13 pages of records it received from Governor Bill Owens’ office in response to a CORA (Colorado Open Records Act) request sent by CCEG on August 4, 2006. The records suggest additional documents were withheld and that the Trailhead Group has a cozy relationship with the Governor’s Office.

In its CORA, CCEG requested that the Governor’s office provide records showing any and all communications between the Governor’s office and the Trailhead Group, a conservative 527 founded by Governor Owens. CCEG sent the request after Alan Philp, Trailhead Director, stated in the Rocky Mountain News that someone in the Governor’s office informed him of other CORA requests relating to Trailhead donors.

In response to CCEG’s CORA request, the Governor’s office produced 21 pages of emails including emails between staff in the Governor’s office, Alan Philp, and other Trailhead staff.

CCEG today sent an additional CORA request asking that the Governor’s Office conduct a more thorough search for responsive records and will continue to monitor the relationship between Trailhead and Governor Owens to determine whether any improper coordination is occurring.

Related Document: CORA Documents given to CCEG