Denver judge unwinds campaign finance sanctions imposed on influential conservative dark-money group

An influential, conservative dark-money political group doesn’t have to reveal its donors and pay a $40,000 campaign finance fine levied by state elections officials stemming from the $4 million it spent on 2020 ballot initiatives, a Denver District Court judge ruled Friday.

Judge David H. Goldberg found that Unite for Colorado, which has since disbanded, didn’t violate a state law requiring political nonprofits to register as issue committees and reveal their funders when their spending on a ballot initiative is their “major purpose.” 

The Colorado Sun refers to political nonprofits as dark-money groups because they don’t have to disclose their donors. 

Goldberg’s ruling resolves a lawsuit filed by Unite for Colorado against the Colorado Secretary…