As early as Monday, a legislative ethics panel could formalize a consensus that Sen. Abel Tapia broke no rules when he both funded and earned income from the Colorado State Fair, but that he should disclose his financial interest in the enterprise on future votes.
The consensus largely echoes that of legislative lawyers who told Tapia he should consider not contracting with the State Fair if he wants to vote on the enterprise.
A formal decision from the four-lawmaker advisory board will bring to an end a week-long discussion about whether the Pueblo Democrat erred in directing $3.2 million a year to the indebted State Fair while his engineering firm benefited from $440,000 in contracts with the fair.
“I think he had a private interest (in the legislation), but I don’t think it motivated his vote,” Rep. Claire Levy, D-Boulder, said. “This is a situation that called for disclosure . . . but I wouldn’t say he shouldn’t have voted.”
Tapia requested the peer evaluation following questions from reporters about his relationship with the fair.
Both he and State Fair officials say Tapia’s lawmaker status played no role in the nine contracts and contract amendments received by his firm.
In the end, the panel drew a line between actual conflict, which would break rules, and the appearance of conflict, which lawmakers should avoid.
“If what you’re thinking about doing is going to appear on the front page of the Gazette and you’re OK with it, do it,” said Sen. John Morse, D-Colorado Springs, explaining his own litmus test.
