Union campaign casts stones in a glass house

Protect Colorado's Future, the union-backed campaign behind a slew of contentious ballot initiatives, has been quick to cast aspersions on its opponents. But a Face The State undercover investigation reveals signature gatherers circulating its petitions are not following state law, failing to comply with identification requirements.

FTS Staff Photo

Petition circulators from FieldWorks, the company contracted to Protect Colorado's Future to collect signatures, were spotted Wednesday camped outside a state building in Lakewood. Armed with petitions to protect racial preferences, raise taxes and institute new employer mandates, two FieldWorks staffers (pictured at left) solicited voters entering and exiting the building, but failed to wear identification clearly identifying them as paid circulators.

That's a violation of state law, according to Secretary of State spokesman Rich Coolidge. While the state Supreme Court has found a provision in state election law requiring name tags to be illegal, paid circulators are still required to wear a badge identifying their professional affiliation.

A Face The State reporter who spoke with "Bev" (seen holding the petitions, who would not provide her last name) inquired about the ID requirement. She replied, "I was looking for it earlier and I can't find it." (MP3) The signature gatherer goes on to say she believes she has two buttons at home, but none on her person.

Jess Knox, spokesman for Protect Colorado’s Future, did not return a phone call seeking comment.

While the identification requirement is a relatively minor issue - we aren't quick to support barriers to petitioning - it does illustrate PCF's hypocrisy. The campaign's recent attack ads on various pro-business and free-market ballot initiatives suggested those campaigns should have run criminal background checks on those hired by signature collection firms.

FieldWorks found itself the target of criticism and legal proceedings when an FTS investigation revealed one of its signature gatherers was misleading voters about the impact of the Colorado Civil Rights Initiative, or Amendment 46.

If the unions intend to be taken seriously, they should at the very least comply with the rules and high standards to which they so vociferously hold others.