In the weeks after cruising to a comfortable victory in the 2006 gubernatorial race, Bill Ritter all but stopped fundraising, leaving his campaign deeply in debt and unable to pay its bills.
The depth of Ritter’s cash troubles became clear only this week when it was revealed that the campaign bills were paid with money raised for the Democratic governor’s million-dollar inaugural — a violation of election rules. The campaign currently has only $11,382 in its account.
On Thursday, Ritter continued to assign blame for the misspending to his former campaign manager, Greg Kolomitz, who also ran the inaugural.
But campaign records indicate that Kolomitz and Ritter’s skeleton crew of campaign workers had no funds to tap beyond the inaugural account. Ritter raised just $40,000 for his campaign from early December 2006 through March 2007 but more than $1 million for the inaugural.
Although Colorado Concern helped raise about $200,000 to help pay off Ritter’s campaign debt during early December 2006, it wasn’t enough. About $200,000 more in campaign bills rolled in through March 2007.
On Thursday, Ritter spokesman Evan Dreyer acknowledged that oversight of campaign funds essentially ended with Ritter’s election. Though five people had signature authority over the campaign checkbook, including Dreyer, the campaign spokesman, no one was actually monitoring the spending.
The Ritter campaign recently took out a $200,000 loan — using the governor’s house as collateral — after it was discovered that Kolomitz had improperly paid $217,164 in campaign expenses with some of the January 2007 inauguration money. Additionally, the governor said Tuesday that $83,250 in checks Kolomitz wrote himself and his firm was an overpayment. Kolomitz, who has declined to comment, has since repaid the amount.
“There was a lack of oversight and lack of controls over the accounts,” Dreyer said Thursday.
Still, Dreyer said, Ritter considered it Kolomitz’s responsibility to notify him at the time that the campaign funds were tapped. He insisted that conversation never took place.
“It was the responsibility of the campaign manager and the inaugural manager to properly manage campaign funds and the inaugural funds, . . . and that did not occur,” he said.
However, earlier Thursday, Dreyer said, “It was the responsibility of (Ritter) to properly manage” the accounts. He also said Ritter was responsible for overseeing Kolomitz.
Dreyer clarified his statement after that response prompted The Post to ask for a comment from Ritter.
Although Ritter is busy raising money for the Democratic National Convention and the Democratic Governors Association, he must now raise $200,000 so the campaign can pay off the loan. And he must also raise money for his re-election campaign.
“It will be difficult,” Dreyer said. “Not impossible, but challenging.”
Because Ritter is a former Denver district attorney, that office filed a court motion asking that another county look into possible charges against Kolomitz. The matter has been assigned to 18th Judicial District Attorney Carol Chambers for review.
Secretary of State Mike Coffman is still reviewing possible campaign finance violations.
Karen Crummy: 303-954-1594 or kcrummy@denverpost.com
