The campaign behind an amendment to define personhood as beginning at fertilization is potentially breaking the law by reporting receiving more than $1,500 from anonymous contributors.
Rich Coolidge, a spokesman for the secretary of state’s office, said state law requires campaigns to report the name and address of all contributors giving $20 or more.
Coolidge said the secretary of state’s office is sending a letter to Colorado for Equal Rights, the campaign behind the “personhood” measure, Amendment 48, telling them to comply with the law.
Kristi Burton, the group’s founder, said the issue is a misunderstanding. She said those contributions represent money raised by selling T-shirts or bumper stickers in a day and said she would explain that to the secretary of state’s office.
“I’ll talk to them,” she said, “but perhaps I need to report them more individually.”
Colorado for Equal Rights reported receiving three anonymous contributions for a total of $276 on its monthly finance report filed Tuesday.
This year, the campaign has reported receiving 14 anonymous contributions for a total of $1,537.90.
That is more than any other campaign this election cycle, according to secretary of state reports. Colorado for Equal Rights has raised nearly $183,000 so far, according to its disclosures.
Pat Steadman, the registered agent for the group Protect Families, Protect Choices, which opposes Amendment 48, said the reporting raises concerns.
He noted that Colorado for Equal Rights also has been late three times in disclosing its monthly expenditures.
John Ingold: 303-954-1068 or jingold@denverpost.com
