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March 1, 2012Tom Cave1618 Emerald St.Broomfield, CO 80020(720) 849-2462Attorney for Complainant:Jessica K. Peck, Esq.Open Government Institute of Colorado700 16
th
AvenueDenver, Colorado 80203Ph: 720-628-5756Email: Jessica@OGIColorado.org  Respondent:Anne McGihon837 Sherman StreetDenver, Colorado 80203On or about February 28, 2012, Dianne Primavera (hereinafter “Primavera”) distributed an emailinvitation to an unknown number of recipients soliciting contributions and attendance at a March11, 2012 fundraiser benefitting her Colorado House of Representatives candidate campaign. Theinvitation included a Registered Lobbyist as Co-Host for the event in direct violation of ColoradoRevised Statute § 1-45-1-5.5(1)(a). (“March 11
th
Invitation” attached as
Exhibit A
 
).
SUMMARY OF RELEVANT FACTS
As set forth in the invitation’s introduction, the event is to sponsor a Colorado House candidatecampaign:“Spring is about to be sprungyou can feel it in the air-aLet’s help re-elect Dianne Primavera!”The Invitation provides contribution amounts which start at $50 for “guest”, $100 for “friend”,$175 for “co-host” and $250 for “host.” The Invitation includes 13 host committee members, 11of which are sitting legislators and two of which are former legislators, including PaulWeissmann and Anne McGihon (“McGihon”). McGihon is a Registered Lobbyist in the State of Colorado (McGihon Registration attached as
Exhibit B
).
 
 
www.ogicolorado.org
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APPLICABLE LEGAL STANDARDS
The Colorado Campaign Reform Act, C.R.S. § 1-45-1-5.5(1)(a), prohibits registered lobbyistsfrom soliciting contributions for members of the General Assembly when the General Assemblyis in session:“No professional lobbyist, volunteer lobbyist, or principal of a professional lobbyist orvolunteer lobbyist shall make or promise to make a contribution to, or solicit or promiseto solicit a contribution for: (I) A member of the general assembly or candidate for thegeneral assembly, when the general assembly is in regular session.”The Colorado General Assembly has been in session from January 11, 2012 to present.
STATE LAW VIOLATIONS
McGihon violated C.R.S. § 1-45-1-5.5(1)(a) by authorizing her name to be used as a co-host tosolicit contributions for a Colorado House of Representative candidate campaign during theColorado legislative session because she is a registered Lobbyist.McGihon’s illegal conduct may not be limited to this incident. McGihon also co-sponsored aFebruary 23, 2012 fundraiser during the 2012 Colorado legislative session purportedly to benefitthe Colorado Democratic Party’s “House Majority Project”. This invitation made clear that thebeneficiaries of the political fundraiser were Democratic Colorado House candidates. Theinvitation read:“Colorado's recent redistricting has resulted in an estimated 35 competitive State Housedistricts. Help Take Back the House!”According to the HMP’s website, the organization is an “initiative of the Colorado DemocraticParty.” The February 23 Invitation opened by identifying “35 competitive State House districts,”in need of financial support, and also identified Rep. Daniel Kagan, D-Denver, (who emailed outthe invitation) as an attendee at the event (“February 23 Invitation” Attached as
Exhibit C
).Multiple news outlets, including
The Colorado Statesman,
identify Kagan’s reelection race asone 2012’s most competitive legislative races, with the
Statesman
calling the race a “toss up”.
 
Other notable attendees listed on the invitation are all Democrats, including House MinorityLeader Mark Ferrandino, Rep. Lois Court, Rep. Beth McCann, Sen. Irene Aguilar, Sen. PatSteadman and Sen. Joyce Foster, all from Denver. (Seehttp://coloradostatesman.com/content/993322-colorado-legislative-races-12-watch-2012).
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