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Tag: Scott Gessler

Carroll to target groups like Western Tradition with disclosure bill

In the wake of a flood of untraceable 501(c)4 funds pouring into 527 political groups such as the Western Tradition Partnership in this month's general election, state Sen. Morgan Carroll, D-Aurora, said she is working to make Colorado the first state in the nation to compel the nonprofit "social welfare" groups to disclose political donations to 527s.

SOS-elect Gessler dubbed ‘real activist in support of voter suppression’

Progressive election reform advocates and campaign watchdog groups are leery of Republican attorney Scott Gessler’s agenda as Colorado’s secretary of state elect. Observers cite a variety of reasons to be concerned about what changes he’ll try to make over the next few years. “It’s clear that there was an effort to put somebody into this seat who is going to be a real activist in support of corporate secret funding of elections and voter suppression,” Luis Toro, director of Colorado Ethics Watch, told the Colorado Independent.

Schwartz, Ethics Watch eye SOS complaint for mailers from group linked...

State Sen. Gail Schwartz and a campaign watchdog group are weighing a formal complaint against a 527 political group linked to Secretary of State-elect Scott Gessler, alleging the group failed to properly disclose a mailer deemed the “most tasteless” of this month’s election. Schwartz, a Democrat, said late last week she still hasn’t determined whether to file a formal complaint with current Secretary of State Bernie Buescher’s office regarding the mailers sent out by Western Tradition Partnership (WTP) depicting her as Donald Trump. But she said she will pursue tougher disclosure laws in the next legislative session.

Stapleton tops Kennedy; Gessler beats Buescher; Suthers downs Garnett

9News late Tuesday night called the Colorado treasurer race for Republican challenger and political newcomer Walker Stapleton by 52 to 48 percent margin over...

Poll shows Hickenlooper winning big, Senate in a dead heat

A poll conducted last week by 9NEWS and the Denver Post shows the Senate race between incumbent Democrat Michael Bennet and Republican challenger Ken...

Secretary of State smacks Clear the Bench

As the head of Clear the Bench Colorado, firebrand Matt Arnold has toured conservative activist events across the state this past year asking Coloradans to vote against retaining members of the state's supreme court. He argued and is arguing in the last weeks before the November elections that members of the bench are liberal activists who disdain the law. In recent days, an administrative courts judge and the elections director for the state informed Arnold that he failed to follow the laws that govern the form of political activity in which he has been engaging.

Judge rules against Clear the Bench in campaign finance case

On Friday, Administrative Law Judge Robert Spencer ruled that Clear the Bench Colorado, a group campaigning against retaining three Colorado Supreme Court justices this November, improperly filed with the state as an issues committee and that it must now file as a political committee. The ruling comes after a complaint filed by government watchdog group Colorado Ethics Watch. The ruling limits Clear the Bench fundraising and ups the group's obligation to report contributions. It is the latest chapter in a legal battle colored by partisan rhetoric and suspicion and it is likely not the final chapter.

Buescher denies Clear the Bench request for new issue committee rule

Secretary of State Bernie Buescher turned down a request filed on the behalf of Clear the Bench Colorado last week to write a new rule categorizing the group as an issue committee. Clear the Bench is presently registered as an issue committee but a complaint filed by government watchdog group Colorado Ethics Watch argued that the group is actually a political committee because it is advocating not for any single issue but rather against retaining Colorado Supreme Court justices. At stake is funding: Issue committees can collect unlimited sums from individual donors; political committee individual donations are capped at roughly $500. Ethics Watch argues that inviting unchecked money into judicial races invites corruption and goes against the will of the voters.

SOS hopefuls Buescher, Gessler miles apart on Citizens United ruling

Colorado Secretary of State Bernie Buescher said that while he's been excited to work on the nuts and bolts of the office, it was the Citizens United Supreme Court ruling that ignited his passion for ensuring the Colorado is a state for the people and not for the corporations.

Ament falling behind Stapleton in raising campaign cash

Widely seen as the front-runner for the GOP nomination for Colorado state treasurer, J.J. Ament has fallen badly behind Walker Stapleton in fund raising....
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