The Denver District Attorney’s Office is still investigating a legal complaint filed by a local watchdog group against a state senator, but it has no explanations as to when the inquiry will be complete or why the investigation has spanned nearly a year, according to an official with the DA’s office.
Colorado Ethics Watch, a nonprofit watchdog group, accused the DA’s office earlier in the week of “stonewalling” on a criminal complaint the organization submitted in April.
The complaint accused Senate Minority Leader Andy McElhany, R-Colorado Springs, and the Legislature’s Senate Minority Office of breaking a law that prohibits public representatives from taking monetary gifts and using them toward official state business.
CEW claims that McElhany broke the law when he was reported to have admitted accepting money from a state political committee to pay for ColoradoSenateNews.com, the official Web site and communications hub of the Senate Minority Office.
Lynn Kimbrough, communications director for the DA’s Office, says that the case is still open, although it has been delayed for a “variety of reasons.” When asked what those reasons were, Kimbrough responded that she could not disclose such information.
The DA’s office has no time limits on pursuing the case, and there is no statute of limitations because a formal complaint has already been filed.
