September 07, 2012 02:56 AM UTC

Paladino & Good Guys 2, Gessler 0: Judge Says No Again to Looser Committee Reporting Standards

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• by: centenman

( – promoted by Colorado Pols)

For the second time, a Denver District Court Judge has ruled that Colorado Secretary of State Scott Gessler cannot proceed with new state standards from his office that drastically loosen the requirements for reporting spending and contributions by political committees.

On Sept.4th, Judge J. Eric Elliff denied the secretary of state’s request to let him implement the overturned rules while he appeals the lower court’s decision.

“Chalk up one more for average Coloradans,” said David Paladino, a first-time political candidate running in state Senate district 27 (Centennial) who took a considerable risk by joining several grassroots organizations in a lawsuit to stop the new rules from taking effect.  The suit has been combined with a similar one filed by Colorado Ethics Watch and Colorado Common Cause.  

Adds Paladino: “It’s another win for common citizens. Despite Scott Gessler’s efforts, for now, more political money won’t flow undisclosed across our state and totally out of public view.  The public has a need and a right to know who is putting money into political campaigns and just how it’s being spent.”

Judge Elliff said disclosure of political spending is too important and Gessler’s arguments presented “nothing new or different” to convince him that he would win on appeal.  He called the request to stay his earlier ruling “contrary to the public interest.” .

On August 10th,  Elliff determined that Gessler couldn’t alter the constitutional and statutory rules that determine when and how political campaigns and committees must publicly report finances.  It’s now likely that political committees, issue committees and 527’s, or independent expenditure groups, will have to continue meeting past reporting requirements that are stricter than those Gessler wanted to them to follow.