DENVER - A Republican political committee that financed 568 negative television advertisements against Rep. John Kefalas, D-Fort Collins, during last year's election was fined $1,000 by an administrative law judge for violating campaign finance law.

Last month's decision is being called a major victory by Colorado Citizens for Ethics in Government, or CCEG, in the struggle for fair campaigning. The group brought the suit against the Committee for the American Dream, or CAD, the group that aired the ads.

CAD's filings with the Colorado Secretary of State's Office show close ties to the Colorado Association of Home Builders.

"The ruling will change the way candidate committees file reports during political seasons," said Chantell Taylor, executive director of CCEG.

The political action committee was found in violation of state reporting requirements for any person or group that spends more than $1,000 on ads that refer to a candidate and are broadcast to voters 60 days prior to an election.

CAD spent $28,435 on the 568 advertisements, which aired on television stations in Fort Collins during October and November.

Scott Gessler, an attorney representing the home builders association, said the ruling is unfortunate.

"I feel pretty confident that we will win (if we appeal this), and it's unfortunate that we have to go through it," Gessler said. "The fact is the committee did file reports, and it's unfortunate that the committee has to report duplicate information."

CAD argued in court that it should not have to file electioneering communication reports because it reported the spending in a different campaign finance filing with the state.

Kefalas, who beat incumbent Republican Bob McCluskey in November's election, said he is happy to see the ruling.

"I am grateful the ruling occurred because it will help keep groups accountable for what they do during elections," Kefalas said. "We have to do this because more of this kind of campaigning is going to occur during the upcoming elections."

Colorado Citizens for Ethics in Government also filed a complaint against local conservative strategist Andrew Boucher for failing to report electioneering spending against Kefalas but dropped the complaint when Boucher agreed to file the electioneering reports.