Some ethics-board members said Monday they want to review all Colorado State Fair legislation touched by Sen. Abel Tapia — and not just the one $3.2 million-a-year bailout bill he apparently requested they evaluate.
But board chairman Sen. John Morse said a more sweeping review isn’t necessary to determine whether Tapia should abstain from voting on fair matters in the future.
Tapia, a Pueblo Democrat, faced questions from The Denver Post and 9News last week for supporting funding for his district’s indebted celebration while his engineering firm benefited from fair contracts to the tune of nearly $440,000.
Tapia has since requested a nonbinding opinion on his actions from a legislative ethics panel, specifically referencing the 2006 bailout bill.
“It’s possible we will (look at other bills), but it’s just not terribly relevant,” said Morse, D-Colorado Springs.
Morse also said he was uncertain whether the ethics panel has authority to address a $1.1 million appropriation Tapia secured in 2007 for a State Fair project his firm apparently oversaw at the time.
Treading new territory, the board adjourned Monday uncertain of its exact mission but made plans to review state laws that may apply to Tapia’s case and parts of his engineering firm’s finances later this week.
Republican lawmakers raised questions about whether the four-person panel can effectively investigate without powers to subpoena or compel testimony, tools that are afforded other types of legislative ethics committees.
By contrast, House lawmakers earlier this year convened a committee — able to censure or otherwise punish lawmakers — to investigate wrongdoing by freshman Rep. Doug Bruce, accused of kicking a news photographer.
“We have one narrow question . . . we have limited access to information and limited time,” said Rep. Rob Witwer, R-Genesee. “There’s another process that exists for a more thorough investigation.”
Tapia also revealed Monday that Abel Engineering Professionals has received dozens of state contracts from Pueblo-area agencies totaling more than $800,000 since he took office, though they represent a small percent of his firm’s revenues.
Nine contracts or contract amendments for Tapia’s firm came from the State Fair, more than all other fair engineering contracts combined for the same period, according to a Denver Post analysis.
Jessica Fender: 303-954-1244 or jfender@denverpost.com.
