Douglas Bruce indicted

Posted: Apr 8, 2011 1:46 PM by Greg Boyce
Updated: Apr 8, 2011 1:47 PM

A statewide Grand Jury has indicted Douglas Bruce for failing to pay income taxes on income earned in 2005, 2006, and 2007.

The four-count indictment was announced this afternoon by the Colorado Attorney General's Office.

Bruce is suspected of attempting to evade his tax responsibilities by funneling his income into the coffers of Active Citizens Together, a nonprofit he created in 2001, and failing to report that income to the Department of Revenue. Bruce is suspected of filing a false tax return on income he earned during the 2005 tax year and failing to file a tax return concerning income he earned during the 2006 and 2007 tax years.

"State law requires that citizens who live in Colorado and enjoy all of the benefits of being a resident pay the appropriate taxes," said Attorney General John Suthers. "No one is exempt from that obligation."

According to the indictment, Bruce is suspected of evasion of taxes administered by the Colorado Department of Revenue, a class-five felony; filing a false tax return, a class-five felony; attempt to influence a public servant, a class-four felony; and failure to file a return or pay a tax, a misdemeanor offense. Bruce could face up to six years in prison or up to $500,000 in fines if convicted of attempt to influence a public servant, a class-four felony.

Bruce is a former El Paso County Commissioner, and former State Representative. He is also credited with writing the TABOR Amendment to the Colorado Constitution, which limits how much government can grow to a formula related to inflation plus population growth.