Tracking what's destroying Colorado
A curated collection of bills, news, and resources about Colorado politics and policy
A curated collection of bills, news, and resources about Colorado politics and policy
A Colorado Sun investigation reveals that One Main Street Colorado, a shadowy 501(c)(4) dark-money nonprofit that refuses to disclose its donors, played a pivotal role in launching the Colorado Opportunity Caucus—a group of moderate Democratic lawmakers—in January 2025. One Main Street's executive director, Andrew Short, admitted helping start the caucus because it "shares our values," while insisting it's "fully independent." The group poured at least $800,000 into super PACs during the 2024 cycle to back moderate Democrats in primaries, often against progressives. In a bombshell, emails show Short sought board approval in early September 2025 for $25,000 to cover a hotel room block for the caucus's October retreat at Vail's upscale Sonnenalp Hotel, where lawmakers mingled with lobbyists—directly contradicting his earlier claims of no involvement in the event or operations. The retreat, attended by at least 17 Democrats, was organized by the caucus (another donor-secretive nonprofit), with an attorney on hand to navigate ethics rules. Critics, including former ethics officials, slam it as a blatant loophole to skirt Amendment 41's gift ban and anti-corruption laws, warning such setups create the "appearance of impropriety." Caucus leaders defend compliance, but refuse full donor transparency, unlike other legislative caucuses.
Here we go again: Colorado Democrats, who never miss a chance to rail against "dark money" and "big corporate influence" when it suits their narrative, have been caught building their own opaque slush fund empire to protect moderate incumbents and reward loyalists with swanky perks. One Main Street Colorado— a classic dark-money outfit hiding its fat-cat donors—didn't just "help start" the so-called Colorado Opportunity Caucus; it bankrolled their primaries with hundreds of thousands to crush progressive challengers, then quietly approved $25,000 for a luxury Vail weekend where lawmakers hobnobbed with lobbyists at a ritzy resort most Coloradans can only dream of affording.
This isn't "shared values"—it's a coordinated influence machine. The same exec who swore up and down his group had zero role in the retreat got busted emailing the board for the exact funding the caucus begged for to save their deposit. And when questioned? Stonewall on donors, lawyer up, and hide behind "nonprofit independence" that's about as real as their commitment to transparency.
Democrats control every lever of power in Colorado, yet they invent these shadowy nonprofits to funnel undisclosed cash, evade gift bans, and let special interests wine-and-dine legislators behind closed doors. If a Republican group pulled this—secret money propping up candidates then bankrolling lobbyist schmoozefests—the outrage mob would be torching X with "corruption" hashtags. But when it's Dems propping up their moderate wing against the far-left? Crickets from the media watchdogs.
Coloradans are fed up with one-party rule driving costs through the roof while politicians play games with ethics loopholes. Demand full donor disclosure, shut down these dark-money shells, and remind these "public servants" that the Capitol isn't a private club for insider deals. Real opportunity starts with sunlight—not more shadows.