AG seeking fines, other penalties in Bruce contempt motion
The Colorado Attorney General wants anti-tax activist Douglas Bruce to pay contempt of court fines and attorneys' fees for “willfully violating” a judge’s order and “obstructing the administration of justice.”
The state accused Bruce, of Colorado Springs, of contempt of court in a motion filed Friday in Denver District Court. The state’s case is based on a court’s finding this week that Bruce was properly served with a court order to appear before a campaign finance hearing last month that he didn’t obey.
The state wants Bruce to pay unspecified fines and pay for court costs associated with the effort to get him to comply with the court order and the contempt case.
A hearing date for the matter has not been set.
The state wanted Bruce to testify about his role in three initiatives on the November ballot, Amendment 60, Amendment 61 and Proposition 101, that would limit government taxes and spending.
After 30 attempts to track down Bruce to serve him with the court order, a judge found Thursday that the state “properly served” Bruce with the court order by mail and e-mail.
On Friday morning, Bruce sent an e-mail to Colorado Attorney General John Suthers asking for "a public hearing with all your witnesses, and I want my right to testify in my own behalf, just like every other citizen."
"We're glad to hear Mr. Bruce is eager to appear at the hearing," said Mike Saccone, spokesman for the AG's office, referring to Bruce's email. "Mr. Bruce seems to be complaining about being held to the same legal standards as everyone else."
Bruce has maintained that he wasn’t properly served with the court order, and therefore cannot be found to be in contempt of court.
