The Colorado Independent Ethics Commission (IEC) has denied a motion by Rep. Mike Coffman to dismiss the case pending against him in which Colorado Ethics Watch alleges Coffman committed official misconduct and ethics violations when he was Colorado’s Secretary of State.

In its ruling, the IEC agreed with Ethics Watch that Amendment 41, passed by Colorado voters in 2006, requires the commission to enforce the standards of conduct allegedly violated by Coffman, including standards contained in state personnel and elections statutes and misdemeanor criminal statutes. 

“Consistent with his usual practice, Rep. Coffman has attempted to distract the IEC with a flurry of failed motions rather than take responsibility for his ethical transgressions,” said Chantell Taylor, director of Colorado Ethics Watch.  “Now the case can proceed to a hearing in March and, at long last, Rep. Coffman will have to explain himself,” Taylor continued. "This case is also setting an important precedent that the IEC will fulfill its mandate to conduct a hearing on nonfrivolous complaints.”

The complaint filed by Ethics Watch alleges that Coffman broke ethics rules by permitting an Elections Division employee to operate a partisan political side business that conflicted with his official duties and by certifying electronic voting systems made by a vendor that hired Coffman's campaign manager's firm to lobby on its behalf. 

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.  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 the first to proceed to a hearing before the IEC.