Denver - Today the Colorado Democratic Party hand delivered a letter to Secretary
of State Mike Coffman demanding to know the status of his office's investigation
of employee Dan Kopelman. Kopelman had been operating a "side business"
selling voter lists and other campaign services to Republican candidates.
Kopelman has also had numerous political connections to Coffman for several
years. According to the Secretary of State's Elections Center web site, Kopelman
was previously the Registered Agent for Coffman's Senate District 27 campaign
committee. Kopelman has also contributed to Coffman's campaigns for Senate District
27 and Secretary of State. Further, the Elections Center web site lists Kopelman
as a payee of both Coffman's campaign for state treasurer and his campaign for
secretary of state. Kopelman's business, Political Live Wires, also received
$1,500 for 'consulting for 2006' from Coffman's secretary of state campaign.
May 8, 2007
Hon. Mike Coffman
Secretary of State
Office of the Secretary of State
1700 Broadway
Denver, CO 80290
Dear Secretary Coffman:
On May 4, 2007, it was revealed that your Elections Technology Manager, Dan
Kopelman, who has oversight and guidance on the statewide voter database and
election planning system had a "side business" of selling voter
lists and other web-based campaign tools to Republican political campaigns.
While Mr. Kopelman has wisely taken down his "Political Live Wires"
website, his continued employment in the Colorado Secretary of State's Office
raises serious and very real concerns about the non-partisan nature of your
office which can only be remedied by the termination of Mr. Kopelman's employment.
You stated on May 4, 2007, to the press, that your office would conduct an
investigation of Mr. Kopelman's conduct. What were the results of your internal
investigation and when will the public and the press be advised of them? What
is the status of Mr. Kopelman's employment with the Colorado Secretary of
State's Office in light of the investigation?
Mr. Kopelman should immediately resign from the Secretary of State's Office
or you should immediately terminate his employment. His website and side business,
while an employee in Colorado's Chief Election Officer's Election Division,
were not only a conflict of interest, but they brought a definite and unacceptable
partisan stain to your office. As I have said previously, the office that
conducts and oversees elections in Colorado must be free from partisanship
or even an appearance of partisanship.
The conduct of elections is the cornerstone of our Democracy. We ask that
you do what is appropriate and required in this matter.
Sincerely,
Pat Waak
Chair, Colorado Democratic Party
