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Boss denies e-vote conflict

Phase Line-Coffman link prompts call for resignation

By Lynn Bartels, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published December 21, 2007 at 12:30 a.m.

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Coffman OK'd Premier's vote equipment.

Coffman OK'd Premier's vote equipment.

Tonner heads political consulting firm.

Tonner heads political consulting firm.

Ciletti is a lobbyist for Phase Line.

Ciletti is a lobbyist for Phase Line.

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The president of a political consulting firm says there's no connection between his involvement in Secretary of State Mike Coffman's congressional race and Coffman's favorable decision for one of his clients, a voting machine manufacturer.

Sean Tonner, president of Phase Line Strategies, said Premier Election Solutions hired his firm in August - three months before Coffman learned that the seat he is seeking would be open.

"When Premier came to us, everybody thought Tom Tancredo was going to run in 2008," Tonner said.

U.S. Rep. Tancredo, R-Littleton, who has represented the 6th Congressional District for five terms, announced in late October he would not seek re-election. Coffman then announced he would seek the GOP nomination for the seat.

Tonner said he is helping Coffman's campaign at no charge. Tonner said Coffman misspoke Wednesday when he said he had hired Phase Line.

"Mike and I go back over 10 years. We were both Gulf War veterans. I would charge any hill for him," Tonner said.

"There's nothing nefarious here."

But others maintain there is a conflict of interest, and a liberal advocacy group called on Coffman to resign.

"As far as an appearance of impropriety is concerned, you can't unring that bell," said Paul Hultin, the attorney who filed the 2006 lawsuit that led to the secretary of state having to certify voting machines.

Coffman on Monday gave Premier his seal of approval for the company's equipment to be used in the 2008 election. It was the only one of four voting machine companies to have all its equipment conditionally certified.

Coffman's approval came despite an independent testing board's recommendation that all electronic voting systems be decertified.

Michael Huttner, director of ProgressNow, called for Coffman to resign, saying, "Colorado voters cannot afford to have a fox in the henhouse."

He also noted that The New York Times last week reported on a study that found that machines made by Premier were easily corrupted.

Both Tonner and Coffman said neither Premier nor Phase Line got special favors. An e-mail shows the secretary of state's office refused to meet with Phase Line lobbyist Mike Ciletti.

Premier on Wednesday terminated its contract with Phase Line after questioning from the Rocky Mountain News.

Meanwhile, Coffman on Thursday continued his meetings with specific vendors and clerks in counties who use their equipment. He is scheduled to appear before the Joint Budget Committee at 9 a.m. today.

bartels@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5327

Comments

  • December 22, 2007

    8:42 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    truth_teller writes:

    It is hard to beleive that you can say some of this stuff with a straight face.
    "Tonner said he is helping Coffman's campaign at no charge." This is a federal campaign. This is a corporate contribution.

    Tonner said Coffman misspoke Wednesday when he said he had hired Phase Line. This is exactly what I want in Congress. Maybe we should elect a Congressman that is being reresented for free by his lobbyist. That stinks to high heaven.

    This crap has been going on for years with Sean Tonner and Bill Owens. Now it is going on with Coffman. Time for a Grand Jury to see what the truth is.