For more information, see Democracy Alliance (Other Group)
The Colorado Democracy Alliance (CODA) is a left-wing membership and strategy organization created to assist the Democratic Party in turning Colorado into a consistently left-leaning state in elections.1
The Colorado Democracy Alliance is associated with the national Democracy Alliance, a national strategy organization created in 2005 to incorporate high-level influencers and donors in the Democratic Party in order to create permanent left-wing “infrastructure.”2
Founding
For more information on the “Colorado Model,” see Albert C. Yates
The Colorado Democracy Alliance was founded in 2004 by Democratic donors Tim Gill and Patricia Stryker. It was supported by a group of Democratic donors called the “Gang of Four,” which consisted of Gill, Stryker, Jared Polis, and Rutt Bridges.3
Albert C. Yates, a retired academic, is credited with connecting the Gang of Four and establishing the CODA. He has been described as the creator of a “Colorado Model” for creating left-wing infrastructure in a state.4
Members
Board of Directors
According to an August 2008 panel discussion (available here) during the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado, Public Interest Network president Doug Phelps was chairman of CODA.5 The panel discussion was also attended by Rob Stein, a founder of the national Democracy Alliance (DA), DA executive director Kelly Craighead, CODA executive director Laurie Zeller, and DA member Frank Smith.
A 2006 CODA confidential strategy document (available here) obtained by the now-defunct right-leaning group Face the State listed CODA’s board members as the following individuals:6
| Colorado Democracy Alliance Members (2006) | |
|---|---|
| Al Yates | Kelly Nordini |
| Rutt Bridges | Ken Gordon |
| Ted Trimpa | Mary Alice Mandarich |
| Tim Gilmore | Mike Melanson |
| Andrew Romanoff | Steve Adams |
| Alice Madden | Tim Gill |
| Carolyn Siegel | Lynne Mason |
| Dominic Del Papa | Mitch Ackerman |
| Jenifer Brandeberry | Rick Reiter |
| Joan Fitz-Gerald | Rich Pelletier |
Operatives
A 2006 CODA confidential strategy document (available here) obtained by the right-leaning group Face the State (now defunct) listed CODA’s “operatives,” including “covert” operatives, as the following individuals:7
| Colorado Democracy Alliance "Operatives" (2006) | |
|---|---|
| Al Yates | Interim Executive Director of CODA, Pat Stryker's political advisor |
| Rutt Bridges | Board Chair of CODA & CEO of Bighorn |
| Ted Trimpa | Tim Gill's political advisor and atty/lobbyist for BHF Law |
| Tim Gilmore | Ted Trimpa's legislative assistant at BHF Law |
| Andrew Romanoff** | Speaker of the CO State House - Co-Chair, Mainstreet Colorado |
| Alice Madden** | Majority Leader of CO State House - Chair, Mainstreet Colorado |
| Carolyn Siegel | AFL-CIO public relations - "Educate the Idiots" |
| Dominic Del Papa | IKON Public Affairs - Strategy & Coordination |
| Evan Dreyer** | Ritter Campaign Manager |
| Jenifer Brandeberry | Lobbyist, CO Trial Lawyers Association (CTLA) |
| Joan Fitz-Gerald** | CO State Senate President - Chair, Moving Colorado Forward |
| Kelly Nordini | Director of Ops for State House 527 |
| Mary Alice Mandarich | Senate Chief of Staff & Director of Ops for Senate 527 |
| Mike Melanson | IKON Public Affairs - Strategy & Coordination |
| Steve Adams | President, CO AFL-CIO |
| Tim Gill | CODA Board Member - Money man: Nov 8th Organizer |
| Lynne Mason | CO Education Association - Public Affairs Director, CEA-Base of Operations |
| Mitch Ackerman | President, CO SEIU |
| Ray Rivera | AFSCME employee, Operations Manager, CO Senate 527 |
| Rick Reiter | Political Op, Citizens for Progress, Dem Governor's Association 527 -> Ritter Campaign |
| Rich Pelletier | America Votes, State Director |
| ** Indicates "covert" or "off the record" operative | |
Controversies
“Educate the Idiots” Campaign
In a 2006 confidential strategy memorandum (available here) obtained by Face the State, CODA outlined “specific tasks for various members of the state’s liberal infrastructure, including a campaign to ‘educate the idiots,'” which was assigned to Carolyn Siegel and the AFL-CIO. According to the document, intended targets of the campaign included “minorities, GED’s [sic], drop-outs…” as part of a minimum wage “wedge issue management.”8 9
References
- Kroll, Andy. ” This Machine Turned Colorado Blue. Now It May Be Dems’ Best Hope to Save the Senate.” October 29, 2014. Accessed October 11, 2018. https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2014/10/colorado-udall-hickenlooper-senate-democracy-alliance/.
- Edsall, Thomas B. “Opinion: Are Liberals Fundraising Hypocrites?” The New York Times. September 30, 2015. Accessed October 11, 2018. https://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/01/opinion/are-liberals-fundraising-hypocrites.html?_r=0
- “Colorado Democracy Alliance” Ballotpedia. Accessed October 11, 2018. https://ballotpedia.org/Colorado_Democracy_Alliance
- Witwer, Rob. “Rocky Ride.” National Review. March 5, 2009. Accessed July 16, 2018. https://www.nationalreview.com/magazine/2009/03/23/rocky-ride/.
- Vadum, Matthew; Jones, Josh; Dellinger, James. “Transcript of ‘Democracy Alliance: Colorado as a Model–Donor Cooperation for Social Change’ panel discussion.” August 27, 2008. Accessed October 11, 2018. https://www.influencewatch.org/app/uploads/2018/10/democracyalliancepaneltranscriptfromdnc2008.pdf.
- https://www.influencewatch.org/app/uploads/2018/10/colorado-democracy-alliance-membership-document-2006.pdf
- https://www.influencewatch.org/app/uploads/2018/10/colorado-democracy-alliance-membership-document-2006.pdf
- https://www.influencewatch.org/app/uploads/2018/10/colorado-democracy-alliance-membership-document-2006.pdf
- “DEMOCRACY ALLIANCE MEMO DETAILS DEM PLAN TO “EDUCATE THE IDIOTS” AND TARGET MINORITIES.” Face the State (obtained via WayBack Machine). October 1, 2008. Accessed October 10, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20081004033950/http://www2.facethestate.com/articles/democracy-alliance-memo-details-dem-plan-educate-idiots-and-target-minorities.