It seems Colorado Secretary of State Scott Gessler isn't the only statewide elected official moonlighting for a private firm.
Last week, Gessler--a newly-sworn-in Republican--sparked a firestorm of criticism when he told the Denver Business Journal that planned to continue part-time work at his old law firm in order to pay the bills. Gessler's dual role as Secretary of State and part-time employee at an election law firm (Gessler says he won't try election cases) is being called a recipe for conflicts of interest by some.
Now, Sandra Fish reports for AOL's Politics Daily that Colorado's new State Treasurer, Walker Stapleton, also plans to moonlight at his old firm, a real estate investment company.
Fish reports that Stapleton could earn up to $150,000 as a consultant to SonomaWest Holdings Inc., in addition to the $68,500 he will earn as Treasurer.
Luis Toro of the ethics watchdog group Colorado Ethics Watch told Fish that his organization is examining state laws to determine whether to file a formal complaint against Gessler or Stapleton.
Meanwhile the liberal organization ProgressNow Colorado is attempting to pressure Gessler into dropping his plan to work with his old firm. Gessler has no such plans, telling the Denver Post he "doesn't care what ProgressNow thinks."