"The hallmark of corruption is the financial quid pro quo: dollars for political favors."

Swapping political favors for dollars is corruption.  And in 2008, Colorado experienced the "hallmark" of corruption - ballot initiative organizers withdrew four ballot initiatives, in exchange for at least $1.2 million in cash.  Basically, the ballot organizers auctioned off their ballot initiatives to the highest bidder - and many of Colorado's biggest businesses enthusiastically bought up the initiatives for sale.

In other words, ballot organizers exchanged a political favor - withdrawing ballot initiatives - for cash.

We wouldn't tolerate a state legislator withdrawing legislation for money.  And it's illegal to buy off candidates to stop them from running for office.  yet Colorado allows ballot organizers to profit from their political position - cynically using as a bargaining chip the tens of thousands of people who have signed their petitions.

The fact is, our politics should be driven by policy, and honest differences should be settled through our political processes.  That means elections - not for-sale politics to the deepest pockets.

Last week, Democrats in the state legislature had a change to stop this corruption.  They refused.

On a party-line vote, they killed House Bill 10-1100, which would prevent ballot initiative organizers from selling their ballot initiatives to the highest bidder.

By defending big-labor and big-business corruption, Democrats in this state have shown that they are an entrenched majority, willing to tolerate corruption in the ballot initiative process.

And the current Secretary of State?  He was no leader.  Instead, he stayed "neutral" and let his fellow Democrats gut the anti-corruption measure.

We need to change this.  We need a Secretary of State who will stand against ballot initiative corruption.

If you think this type of corruption must be stopped, then please help my campaign for Colorado Secretary of State.  A donation of $100, $50, or $25 will help me fight the entrenched interests that have put a "for sale" sign on all of our ballot initiatives.

Sincerely,