Go to the mobile version of this Web site.

Login | Contact Us | Site Map | Paid archives | Electronic edition | Subscription Questions | Extras

Secretary of state's decision on political donations riles labor unions

Stuart Steers, Rocky Mountain News

Published August 5, 2006 at midnight

Text size  

More Airlines & Aerospace

More stories »

A ruling on donations to political campaigns issued by Colorado Secretary of State Gigi Dennis this week has sparked accusations of harassment from Colorado labor unions.

Dennis issued a series of guidelines Wednesday for "small donor committees," which typically bundle contributions from members of labor unions and other groups.

Dennis, a Republican, ruled that such groups must attest that the contributions came from American citizens. She also required the groups to get permission from their members to use dues money in political campaigns.

Colorado Republican Party Chairman Bob Martinez on Friday accused state unions of using "tainted money" from illegal immigrants to fund campaigns. He estimated the unions have donated $405,000 to Democratic candidates over the past two months.

"It is time for Colorado's unions to stop collecting political money from people who are illegally in this country," Martinez said in a statement.

Union leaders were quick to cast Dennis' ruling as a partisan move. They said they already allow only U.S. citizens to make political contributions.

"It's a political maneuver and a way for (Dennis) to try to influence the outcome of the elections," said Mitch Ackerman, president of Service Employees International Union, Local 105.

He said his union, which represents many immigrant janitors, doesn't allow the janitors to donate money to the political fund.

Labor groups are expected to appeal Dennis' ruling.