The Colorado Independent Ethics Commission ("IEC") has set a hearing date of December 2, 2008 on Ethics Watch's complaint against Secretary of State Mike Coffman. The complaint alleges that Coffman broke ethics rules by permitting an Elections Division employee to operate a partisan political side business, and by certifying electronic voting systems made by a vendor that hired Coffman's campaign manager's firm to lobby on its behalf. The IEC notified Coffman and Ethics Watch of its determination that Ethics Watch's complaint is not frivolous and should proceed to a hearing.

Ethics Watch's complaint was the first complaint filed with the IEC after the IEC was established by voters in November 2006. The complaint is expected to be the first to proceed to a hearing before the IEC.

The Independent Ethics Commission was established in 2006 as this state’s primary recourse for ethics complaints and investigations. It is authorized to conduct investigations, hold public hearings, and render findings on complaints regarding allegations that any public official failed to comply with appropriate standards of conduct under state law.