Rep. McFadyen, citizen groups cite Geo Group's past

A lawmaker and two citizen groups have asked the state to rescind the awarding of Geo Group Inc.'s contract to build a private 1,500-bed prison in Ault.

Rep. Buffie McFadyen, D-Pueblo West, cited Geo's "lack of performance" on an earlier contract as one reason for her request.

"This is not being done lightly but with a lot of thought," McFadyen said at a press conference at the state Capitol on Monday afternoon.

Geo Group officials could not be reached for comment Monday.

Christie Donner, executive director for the Colorado Criminal Justice Reform Coalition, and Chantell Taylor, director of the Colorado Citizens for Ethics in Government, also joined McFadyen at the event.

McFadyen said she believed that the bid process for the Ault project was flawed and cited reasons in a letter to Ari Zavaras, director of the state Department of Corrections.

In November, a state auditor's report found that a former DOC official had helped Geo Group Inc. in developing the winning bid, McFadyen noted.

She identified the former DOC official as Nolin Renfrow, who is being investigated by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation for his alleged role in the Geo Group's award.

Renfrow said he did not want to comment on McFadyen's actions Monday.

"I don't know why she would do that," he said, "other than she has had issues with private prisons. The department (of corrections) made a decision to accept Geo as an acceptable contractor."

He referred questions about his involvement with the bidding process to his attorney, who did not return calls Monday.

McFadyen cited the company's history on a 2003 bid to build a private prison in Pueblo.

The Geo Group lost its contract to build that 500-bed detention facility because it delayed the start of construction then tried to renegotiate its contract to get a guarantee that it would be paid for 90 percent occupancy, even if beds were not filled, McFadyen said.

"It would appear that the state's best interests were not served by allowing Geo Group to bid any contract with the state because of its lack of performance on its 2003 award," McFadyen wrote in her letter.