FEC Dings Colorado Republican Party for Lack of Transparency in Filings

A letter from the FEC to the Colorado State Republican Central Committee reads:

“This notice requests information essential to full public disclosure of your federal election campaign finances. Failure to adequately respond by the response date noted above could result in an audit or enforcement action.” The FEC letter can be read in its entirety here.

The FEC outlined six separate issues with transparency:

• $6,666.66 in activity was identified as MEMO entries without corresponding itemized transactions. MEMO entries are for disclosing more detailed information about an itemized transaction.
• A combined total of $486,585.91 from “Coffman Victory Fund,” “Gardner Victory Committee” and “Targeted State Victory”, were not disclosed as a joint fundraising, though they appeared to be so.
• Not enough detail was included as to why certain disbursements were made. The FEC asked for clarifications on the following:

-Aurora Office: Field Expenses

-Consulting

-Denver Field Office

-Event Expenses

-Event Fees

-Jeffco Field Office

-Mesa Field Office

-Pueblo Field Office

-Referral

-Weld Field Office

• Not enough detail was included on payment disclosures for public communications:

-Direct Mailer

-Television spots

-TV media buy.

• Not enough detail was included for reimbursements to individuals for certain goods and services:

-Aurora Office: Office Reimbursement

-Boulder Office: Reimbursements

-Coalition Reimbursement

-Denver Field Office Reimbursements

-Greenwod Village: Office Reimbursment

-Mesa Field Office Equipment

-Mesa Office Printing

-Reimbursement

-Travel Reimbursement / Rallys

-Travel / Phone Reimbursement

• Not enough detail was included for reimbursements for certain travel expenses:

-Adams Office: Travel Reimbursement

-Northern Colo Office: Travel Reimbursment

-Travel Reimbursement

-Travel Reimbursement /Rallys

The Colorado State Republican Central Committee has until March 18 to respond to the FEC—only four days after Central Committee elections will be held. The current State Chair, Ryan Call, is being challenged by former Adams County chair Steve House.