DENVER | Colorado Republican Secretary of State Scott Gessler has been admonished by an ethics panel over spending office funds to attend a GOP conference during the party’s national convention in Florida last year.
The determination Thursday from the state’s Independent Ethics Commission is a black eye to a potential gubernatorial run by Gessler. He faces a $1,514 fine.
The case centered on Gessler’s travel last summer to a conference on elections law. While there, he also attended the Republican National Convention.
Colorado Ethics Watch filed a complaint, arguing that office discretionary funds are meant for state business, not for partisan or personal use. Gessler insists he did nothing wrong and that the conference was educational and qualified for reimbursement. He used campaign funds for RNC expenses.
He plans an appeal.