Douglas Bruce, the author of Colorado’s Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, almost five months into a two-year prison sentence.
The Colorado Department of Corrections said the 66-year-old is eligible to be released from prison Sept. 3. He is being held at the Delta Correctional Center.
Bruce, a former legislator from Colorado Springs, for probation violations stemming from a 2012 felony tax evasion conviction.
Judge Sheila A. Rappaport wrote in a Jan. 19 ruling that evidence shows Bruce failed to report contacts with law enforcement and did not disclose as mandated. Rappaport called some of Bruce’s defense against the accusations “semantic” and noted the weight of proof showing his violations.
Bruce maintained his innocence during a string of probation violation hearings, : “I did nothing wrong” and “I’m the biggest nose in Colorado. They’re picking on me big time.”
At the time of his original conviction, Bruce called himself a political prisoner. Afterward, when he left Denver’s downtown jail after serving 104 days of his sentence, Bruce threatened to sue the city over what he considered deplorable conditions.
Those 104 days were credited toward his two-year prison sentence for .
Bruce was apologetic during the parole hearing.
“I accept responsibility for all my actions. I deeply regret them. It will never happen again,” Bruce told Alfredo Pena, a member of the Colorado State Board of Parole, according to the newspaper.
Laurie Kilpatrick, spokeswoman for the corrections department, said the details of Bruce’s parole conditions were not immediately available Thursday.
