Subject: Tell Scott Gessler: Serve Colorado or resign
From: "Alan Franklin, ProgressNow Colorado" <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]
Date: Sat, 22 Jan 2011 11:31:24 -0600 (CST)

ProgressNow Colorado

Dear Neighbor,

Before his election last November as Secretary of State,
Scott Gessler was a partner in one of Colorado's most
politically connected law
firms. He represented some of the state's most controversial
right
wing political groups and candidates. Some of Gessler's clients
have been
disgraced by campaign finance disclosure complaints, allegations of
unlawful false statements against their opponents, and other alleged
election law violations.

http://progressnowcolorado.pnstate.org/site/R?i=vBJsebyiB15ogsqco8QinQ..

Despite Gessler's record, he promised on the campaign trail
last year that he would set aside his past associations, and serve the
state of
Colorado without the conflicts of interest that would seem obvious
given his history.
But today, The Denver Post reports that Gessler wants to remain
employed
part time by his old law firm while he serves as Secretary of State.

Colorado's Secretary of State, the state's chief
elections
official, moonlighting at a law firm that specializes in elections?
This is
completely unacceptable. Sign our petition now, demanding that
Gessler
immediately abandon this absurd plan. And if he can't, Gessler
should

http://progressnowcolorado.pnstate.org/site/R?i=sjz7YA0FkN3YHD0i7sXo7Q..

immediately resign his position as Secretary of State.

Gessler is telling reporters he won't take on cases
that pertain to elections, business registration, gaming, charities,
or any of
the long list of issues the Secretary of State's office
oversees. But according
to Colorado Ethics Watch, the state's leading government ethics
watchdog group,
attorney-client confidentiality prevents the public from even asking
questions
about Gessler's moonlighting--let alone getting real answers!
(Colorado
Independent, 1/20/2011)

This is not a case of a public servant who simply needs a better
income. For one thing, Gessler knew perfectly well when campaigning
for this
job what it paid--just under $70,000 per year. And this is no ordinary
"second
income," this is a situation which opens the door to the kind of
backroom
dealing and favoritism of his old political pals that Gessler's
opponents
always feared. What's more, the state Attorney General's
office is now tasked
with "working with Gessler" to prevent conflicts of
interest. How much staff
time and expense will that take up?

Tell Gessler right now: this is not acceptable.

http://progressnowcolorado.pnstate.org/site/R?i=DFhNuvGevS4EJif4dbRZRQ..

Sign our
petition demanding that Gessler give up his plan to moonlight for his
old law
firm; and if he can't do that, to immediately resign from his
office. We'll deliver your names and comments to Gessler's office,
other officials, and the media at the end of next week.

Colorado
needs a full-time Secretary of State--but above all, Colorado needs a
Secretary
of State we can trust, and Scott Gessler is failing that test.

Thank you,

Alan Franklin

Donation 9/23/2010 2

http://progressnowcolorado.pnstate.org/site/R?i=RE5B0TlRV3fQ_LEko-mPZA..

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