DENVER – Today, Colorado Citizens for Ethics in Government (CCEG), a non-partisan, non-profit legal watchdog group, sent a letter to Secretary of State Mike Coffman asking for an immediate investigation into whether recent actions by the Colorado Cab Company, LLC (doing business as Yellow Cab) violated state lobbying laws.

Documents obtained by CCEG indicate that officials at Yellow Cab have been encouraging its drivers to call Colorado state legislators and ask them to oppose House Bill 1114, a bill that would deregulate Colorado’s taxi industry. Yellow Cab officials provided its drivers with a list of legislators and a script to follow that specifically instructed drivers to urge a “no” vote on HB 1114. In exchange for making the calls, Yellow Cab offered its drivers an adjustment on the lease rate that they pay for use of Yellow Cab taxis. The adjustment would be worth $50 to $110 to drivers.

Under Colorado law, any individual who engages himself or is engaged by any other person for pay or for any consideration for lobbying must register as a professional lobbyist with the secretary of state before lobbying. Any person who violates state lobbying requirements is guilty of a misdemeanor and may be punished by a fine of up to $5000 dollars, or by imprisonment in the county jail for up to 12 months, or both.