Colo. Lawmaker Fined For Ethics Law Violation

BROOMFIELD, CO -- A February forum on oil and gas issues held at Broomfield's CB & Potts restaurant was secretly funded by Denver-based Extraction Oil & Gas, the Colorado Independent Ethics Commission decided Monday morning in a 3-2 vote.

State Sen. Vicki Marble (R- Fort Collins) violated the state constitution’s ethics law, Amendment 41, for hosting the event without disclosing it was paid for by the industry group, Colorado Politics reported.

The event was planned by Broomfield County GOP Chair Sheryl Ann Fernandez and Extraction, with Extraction footing the bill.

Broomfield resident Sarah Hall Mann saw Extraction's media relations spokesman Brian Cain paying the bill, which came to $1,121. That exceeds the state’s gift limit to lawmakers, which in 2017 was $59. Mann filed an ethics complaint in May 2017.

The Colorado General Assembly is paying Marble’s legal bill which was up to $48,000 last week, the online site reported. Marble was fined $2,242 — twice the cost of the secret gift from Extraction. The state constitution requires a penalty valued at twice the cost of the gift.

Read more at Colorado Politics

Image via Colorado General Assembly