A liberal group Monday called for a criminal investigation of Secretary of State Scott Gessler, alleging he broke the law by spending state money to attend the Republican National Convention and a GOP election law training event.
Colorado Ethics Watch sent a letter to Denver District Attorney Mitch Morrissey and Denver Police Chief Robert White requesting an investigation into whether Gessler made false statements about travel expenses incurred on his trip to Florida in late August and if he misappropriated state funds. In August, Gessler attended the Republican National Lawyers Association meeting in Sarasota and then traveled to the Republican National Convention .
Gessler was reimbursed $1,452 from his office's discretionary account. His office also paid $422 out of its regular budget for a flight change to bring him home a day early, something he said was necessitated because of threats against his family.
Ethics Watch also filed a complaint with the Colorado Independent Ethics Commission, asking the panel to investigate Gessler's actions.
"Ethics Watch believes the secretary's Florida trip was manifestly personal and political in which he participated only in partisan events, not in pursuit of state business," said Luis Toro, the group's director.
Gessler was unavailable for comment, but his spokesman, Andrew Cole, said the allegations by Ethics Watch were to be expected.
"This is the kind of partisan behavior Ethics Watch is known for," Cole said. "It shouldn't come as a surprise that they would attack a Republican secretary of state, just as they have in the past."
Gessler's request for reimbursement was titled "RNLA/RNC Trip, Sarasota and Tampa Bay," but he has defended his trip to the lawyers association meeting as state business. He spoke on a panel titled "The Department of Justice, the Role of the States and Voter ID," and said he received continuing legal education credit for attending the conference.
Gessler also has been criticized for using state funds for a Washington, D.C., trip in July in which he visited two congressmen but also attended a forum organized by a conservative group that alleges elections fraud by the left and met with an official of a Republican group whose aim is to elect GOP officials at the state level.
Tim Hoover: 303-954-1626, thoover@denverpost.com or twitter.com/timhoover
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