Rocky article on Coffman controversy omitted that GOP consultant also was Coffman campaign contributor

Summary: Reporting December 21 on Colorado Secretary of State Mike Coffman's ties to a consulting firm that had represented the manufacturer of the only electronic voting machines Coffman has certified for use in the 2008 elections, the Rocky Mountain News failed to mention that the firm's president donated $500 to Coffman's 2006 campaign.

A December 21 Rocky Mountain News article about Republican Secretary of State Mike Coffman's connections with a consulting firm that had represented the only maker of electronic voting machines Coffman has certified for use in the 2008 Colorado elections omitted that the firm's president was a contributor to Coffman's 2006 election campaign.

The article by Lynn Bartels reported that Sean Tonner, president of the conservative political consulting firm Phase Line Strategies, "said he is helping Coffman's [2008 congressional] campaign at no charge" and quoted Tonner as saying, "Mike and I go back over 10 years. We were both Gulf War veterans. I would charge any hill for him." However, despite mentioning their personal relationship, the article did not note that Tonner donated $500 to Coffman's race for secretary of state.

On December 20, the News reported that not only was Tonner's firm "running" Coffman's 2008 campaign for Congress, it also represented Premier Election Solutions (formerly Diebold Election Systems). As the December 21 article reported, "Coffman on Monday gave Premier his seal of approval for the company's equipment to be used in the 2008 election. It was the only one of four voting machine companies to have all its equipment conditionally certified." The News further noted, "Coffman's approval came despite an independent testing board's recommendation that all electronic voting systems be decertified." The same article quoted Tonner as saying that there was no connection between his work on Coffman's congressional race and Coffman's decision apparently benefiting Premier, which had been a client of Tonner's firm:

Sean Tonner, president of Phase Line Strategies, said Premier Election Solutions hired his firm in August -- three months before Coffman learned that the seat he is seeking would be open.

"When Premier came to us, everybody thought Tom Tancredo was going to run [for U.S. Congress] in 2008," Tonner said.

U.S. Rep. Tancredo, R-Littleton, who has represented the 6th Congressional District for five terms, announced in late October he would not seek re-election. Coffman then announced he would seek the GOP nomination for the seat.

Tonner said he is helping Coffman's campaign at no charge. Tonner said Coffman misspoke Wednesday when he said he had hired Phase Line.

"Mike and I go back over 10 years. We were both Gulf War veterans. I would charge any hill for him," Tonner said.

"There's nothing nefarious here."

The December 21 News article also reported, "Both Tonner and Coffman said neither Premier nor Phase Line got special favors," and added:

An e-mail shows the secretary of state's office refused to meet with Phase Line lobbyist Mike Ciletti.

Premier on Wednesday terminated its contract with Phase Line after questioning from the Rocky Mountain News.

—C.H.