Colorado ethics panel recommends reprimand, removals for Rep. Mandy Lindsay

The Colorado House Committee on Ethics unanimously recommended a stern reprimand and the removal of Rep. Mandy Lindsay from nearly all committee and leadership assignments after finding gross mismanagement of Democratic caucus funds. It also recommended that Lindsay resign as Democratic caucus co-chair.

The recommendations came Sept. 4 under House Rule 49F. The committee would retain Lindsay on the one committee assignment required by House rules, according to the Sept. 4 committee recording.

Members also recommended that House leadership establish financial-management rules for legislative caucuses, including approval procedures for reimbursements and direct spending, detailed expense logs, quarterly budgets, dues-collection procedures, monthly bank reconciliations, and written purchasing, inventory and storage plans.

The committee found gross financial mismanagement, poor bookkeeping, inadequate financial controls and insufficient transparency. Members said unilateral financial decisions and the handling of caucus funds damaged public trust. The findings followed an earlier probable-cause review that identified possible ethical violations involving fiduciary duty, mismanagement and negligence.

The committee rejected allegations that Lindsay’s conduct amounted to money laundering or criminal conduct, saying the transactions and recordkeeping did not establish criminal intent. That conclusion did not provide a final accounting of the disputed funds.

The record discussed a $2,500 transfer from a campaign account to Lindsay’s personal account, a $6,358.68 check tied to a Marriott charge and three checks totaling $925 that Lindsay characterized as loans. An investigator did not classify the three checks as loans. Members said poor bookkeeping made it difficult to determine who owed whom money or how all the funds were spent. The committee did not resolve whether the approximately $6,300 hotel-related reimbursement was returned to the caucus, retained for other expenses or otherwise accounted for.

The committee had not completed its final report as of Sept. 4. Members voted 4-1 to authorize the chair and vice chair to work with Legislative Legal Services, circulate the report for committee review and submit it to the House speaker.

Because Lindsay will not return for the 2027 legislative session, legislative counsel said the House generally could not take formal action such as a reprimand, censure or expulsion before then unless a special session were called. Counsel said lawmakers could consider a resolution concerning a former member in 2027. The speaker may separately have authority to modify committee assignments or issue a formal admonition, but the record did not show that the speaker had done so.