September 21, 2023 04:36 PM UTC

New CO GOP Finance Report: Expenses Nearly Double Income, Thousands Paid to Party Officers

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• by: Erik Maulbetsch

The Colorado Republican Party spent nearly twice as much money as it raised last month. The party’s latest FEC filing shows it raised a little over $12,000 while spending about $22,000. The almost $10,000 shortfall equals the amount spent on party officers and staff, either for direct payments or travel reimbursement.

Party Treasurer Tom Bjorklund, who participated in the Jan. 6 insurrection, received $5,000 for “Treasury Services.” Chair Dave Williams was paid $2,500 for consulting via his company Fox Group Ltd., and was reimbursed another $600 in mileage and parking expenses. Party Secretary and QAnon believer Anna Ferguson received $883 in mileage reimbursement. The party also reimbursed staffer Weston Imer $1,386 for travel and office supply expenses.

The total amount raised, $12,266, is about a third less than the party collected in the previous month, when it reported $18,734. Even that amount, however, did not cover the party’s July expenses which totaled nearly $21,000.

Talk show host George Brauchler asked Williams about the party’s fundraising earlier this week.

Brauchler: Can you update us on the fundraising status for the party? How are we doing?

Williams: We’re doing all right. We’re not swimming in cash, but we’re not broke. We’re paying our bills and we’re preparing for 2024. I think to date we’ve fundraised about over $200,000 and we have more pledges coming in. It’s a bit of a slow roll, but it’s coming.

According to today’s filing, the year-to-date total is $147,439, approximately $50,000 short of Williams’ claim.

The party has raised another $50,000, but there’s a catch: it can’t spend it on elections. Former state Sen. Kevin Lundberg oversees the party’s independent legal defense fund, which was established for its lawsuit challenging Colorado’s voter-approved open primaries. As of Sept. 9 Lundberg claims to have raised over $50,000. Lundberg, who also runs the Republican Study Committee of Colorado, describes donations to the legal fund as “the most cost-efficient dollars you invest in our state’s future.” By law these dollars can only be used for the party’s legal expenses and not to support its candidates or any other political activity.

Yesterday Colorado Morning News hosts Marty Lenz & Jeana Gondek asked Williams about the costs of another different lawsuit the party just joined — whether former Donald Trump can appear on a presidential ballot in Colorado based on his involvement in the Jan. 6 insurrection.

Gondek: Dave, obviously a lawsuit generally costs money and time. So how is this being funded with you guys and is joining this time-consuming, and is it getting in the way of any other top priorities?

Williams: The truth is, yes, there are other priorities that are also equally important for us. But this is important enough to where we felt it was necessary to ensure that no one is disenfranchised in the Super Tuesday primary that’s coming up in March. We’re going to continue to fundraise. We have adequate funds to continue operating our party functions.

Williams did not respond to emailed questions as to whether the payment to him and Bjorklund are one-time expenses or will be recurring. The Colorado Times Recorder also asked whether he was including the legal fund’s $50,000 in the $200,000 estimated total he gave Brauchler on air. This article will be updated with any response received.

This article first appeared in the Colorado Times Recorder.