Your Daily Guide

🔎 Dark Money Floods Colorado Statehouse Races

Recent campaign finance reports reveal millions in dark money donations powering political races in the Democratic statehouse. Dark money is funding from outside sources whose donors aren’t made public, and it's what’s powering many of those persuasive ads and mailers you’ve probably seen lately. Colorado’s candidates are not legally allowed to collaborate directly with the state super PACs on such efforts. However, the increase in dark money campaign donations during this year’s race indicate heightened tensions between progressive democrats, often backed by unions, and their more moderate opponents, often supported by business interests. [Denver Post 🔐]

• Three nonprofits lead in fundraising: One Main Street Colorado, along with Fair Economy Coloradans and the Colorado Affordability Project — both of which are less than a year old — lead super PAC funding in the state. None are required to disclose their donors. [Colorado Sun]
• Dark money takes center stage: At a state senatorial debate last week moderated by City Cast Denver’s Paul Karolyi, district 34 candidate Andrés Carrera accused his opponent, Chela Garcia Irlando, of pocketing thousands from corporate PACs in her previous role at a nonprofit, saying her principles “don’t seem to follow a compass...they follow an election calendar.”
• Combating corporate donors: Irlando responded by saying her campaign has never taken money from corporate PACs, and that Carrera’s campaign is supported by undisclosed “billionaire and corporate donors” from data centers and the oil and gas industries. She added, “Who we take money from is who we are accountable to.”
• Dark money, data centers, and more: Hear the state Senate candidates discuss the affordability crisis, data centers, and other hot button issues in Denver’s upcoming election today on the podcast. [City Cast Denver 🎧]