Colorado: Recall leaders deny outside influence in recall

Good look at the recall by Megan Scharder at the Colorado Springs Gazette. The issue of whether a recall is actually a local effort or instead a front comes up regularly in recalls. Even with money, there is frequently no clear-cut answer or there is a "both" response. (witness Miami-Dade, where the recall got on the ballot due to one funder, but the mayor was kicked out with over 88% of the vote against). I would say this is one of those situations, though the donor secrecy may prevent us from knowing how much is outside coordination. The 1994 David Roberti recall certainly suggests that the NRA is at least familiar with using recalls.

From the piece:

The other side paints the Basic Freedom Defense Fund as a front organization for gun activist groups like Magpul Industries, the National Rifle Association or the Rocky Mountain Gun Owners, but the three founding members and their attorney dispute that characterization.

Of course:

The reason that's a pill hard to swallow for some is the well-financed and coordinated campaign that sprung up in Senate District 11 and Senate District 3 seemingly overnight. 

The Basic Freedom Defense Fund launched separate issue committees registered with the secretary of state for each of the four recall efforts. El Paso Freedom Defense Committee reported $84,118 in contributions in four months of campaign finance reports. 

And almost all of that money came from sources that have shielded their donors through a non-profit or were reported in increments small enough that no donor had to be disclosed. Recall opponents say the secrecy is suspicious.