The Colorado Republican Independent Expenditure’s new website, ColoradoCore.org. (Screenshot)
the legality of the Colorado Republican Committee’s new independent expenditure committee.
The expenditure, titled the Colorado Republican Independent Expenditure Committee in full, was featured in a about their new opposition research website. The site is currently running opposition data on seven Democratic state senate candidates in races that Republicans believe they can win.
“It’s illegal,” said Luis Toro, director of the ethics watch.
Toro argues that because the expenditure committee is directly linked to the state’s Republican committee, it therefore violates Colorado campaign finance law. The question is currently playing out in a state court where a lawsuit has been filed challenging the legality of the group.
The expenditure committee says it already has tens of millions of dollars in committed funding with November’s elections inching closer. .
“I expect this case is bigger than this election and I expect whichever side loses will take this to the court of appeals,” Toro said. “The judge’s immediate ruling will decide how much they can get away with during this election.”
Toro said that his group’s concern over the expenditure committee isn’t limited to just the GOP, adding that he feels Democrats could seek a similar committee if the financing model is approved.
“The Colorado Democratic Party advised the Secretary of State that while it would not support the Republicans’ request, it would establish its own Super-PAC if the Republicans are permitted to establish one,” the ethics watch said in a statement.
“We are working to block both parties from doing this,” Toro said.
