163 lines
8.7 KiB
Markdown
163 lines
8.7 KiB
Markdown
# Colorado TRACER Campaign Contribution Analysis
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**Research Date:** 2026-03-12
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**Data Source:** Colorado Secretary of State TRACER Bulk Data Downloads (2024-2026)
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**URLs:** https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov/PublicSite/Docs/BulkDataDownloads/
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**Records Searched:** ~132M of CSV data (65MB 2024, 50MB 2025, 17MB 2026)
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---
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## Executive Summary
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Analysis of Colorado TRACER bulk campaign contribution data found that neither Adam Eichberg nor Will Coyne contributed directly to ASAA bill sponsors Matt Ball or Amy Paschal. However, a **Meta Product Manager (Jake Levine)** contributed **$1,175** to Matt Ball's campaign and leadership PAC, and a **Google Policy Manager (Kyle Gardner)** contributed **$450** to Ball's campaign. Both Eichberg and Coyne made extensive personal contributions to Colorado Democratic candidates ($10,176 and $10,035 respectively), listing "Headwaters Strategies" as their employer and "Lobbyist" or "Consultant" as their occupation.
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---
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## 1. Adam Eichberg — Campaign Contributions
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**Address:** 1122 Gaylord St., Denver, CO 80206
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**Employer:** Headwaters Strategies
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**Occupation:** Lobbyist / Consultant
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### 2024-2026 Contributions (21 total, $10,176)
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| Date | Amount | Recipient | Candidate |
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|------|--------|-----------|-----------|
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| 2023-10-06 | $450 | Javier for Colorado | Javier Mabrey |
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| 2023-10-11 | $450 | Friends of Mike Weissman | Mike Weissman |
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| 2023-10-30 | $450 | Elizabeth for Colorado | Elizabeth Velasco |
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| 2023-11-06 | $450 | Committee to Elect Barbara Kirkmeyer | Barbara Kirkmeyer |
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| 2023-11-08 | $400 | Woodrow for CO | Steven L. Woodrow |
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| 2023-12-21 | $450 | Hansen for Colorado | Chris Hansen |
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| 2024-01-03 | $450 | Kolker for Colorado | Christopher E. Kolker |
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| 2024-01-09 | $450 | Manny for Colorado | Manny Rutinel |
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| 2024-05-31 | $450 | Committee to Elect Julia Marvin | Julia Marvin |
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| 2024-06-03 | $250 | Committee to Elect Julie Duran Mullica | Julie Duran Mullica |
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| 2024-06-03 | $450 | Yara for Colorado | Yara Zokaie |
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| 2024-07-01 | $450 | Eliza for Colorado | Eliza Carney Hamrick |
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| 2024-07-19 | $450 | Jenny Willford for Colorado | Jenny Willford |
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| 2024-08-19 | $450 | Coloradans for Cole Buerger | Cole Buerger |
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| 2024-09-18 | $450 | Committee to Elect Marc Snyder | Marc Alan Snyder |
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| 2024-10-31 | $200 | Committee to Elect Daneya Esgar | Daneya Esgar |
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| 2025-05-19 | $1,450 | Seligman for AG | David Seligman |
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| 2025-06-20 | $1,450 | Bennet for Governor | Michael Bennet |
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| 2025-07-18 | $250 | Emily Sirota for Colorado | Emily Sirota |
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| 2025-08-08 | $76 | Bennet for Governor | Michael Bennet |
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| 2025-11-15 | $250 | Bennet for Governor | Michael Bennet |
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**Key Observation:** Eichberg gives primarily to Democratic candidates at the $450 maximum (individual contribution limit for CO state races). He contributed **$1,776 to Michael Bennet's gubernatorial campaign** — the largest single recipient. **No contributions to ASAA bill sponsors Ball or Paschal.**
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---
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## 2. Will Coyne — Campaign Contributions
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**Address:** Various Denver, CO
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**Employer:** Headwaters Strategies
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**Occupation:** Lobbyist / Consultant
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### 2024-2026 Contributions (36 total, $10,035)
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Similar pattern to Eichberg — predominantly Colorado Democratic candidates at $200-$500 levels. Notable recipients:
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- Michael Bennet for Governor: $1,450
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- Jena Griswold for CO: $500
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- Barb Kirkmeyer for CO: $500 (Republican — bipartisan giving)
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- Seligman for AG: $500
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**No contributions to ASAA bill sponsors Ball or Paschal.**
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---
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## 3. Meta/Facebook Employee Contributions
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Individual Meta employees making personal contributions in Colorado:
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| Date | Amount | Name | Employer | Recipient | Candidate |
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|------|--------|------|----------|-----------|-----------|
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| 2024-10-05 | $500 | John Dewar | (employer not listed) | Colorado Voters First / Yes on 131 | — |
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| **2025-06-02** | **$725** | **Jake Levine** | **META** | **Ball for All Leadership Fund** | — |
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| **2025-06-02** | **$450** | **Jake Levine** | **META** | **Matt Ball for Colorado** | **MATT BALL** |
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| 2025-05-19 | $250 | Sheila Thompson | META | Jena for Colorado | Jena Griswold |
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| 2025-06-05 | $50 | Kathryn Feiereisel | META | Hetal Doshi for AG | Hetal Doshi |
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| 2025-06-11 | $250 | Sheila Thompson | META | Jena for Colorado | Jena Griswold |
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| 2025-08-19 | $500 | Elizabeth Ghosh | META | Javier's Economic Justice Fund | — |
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| 2025-08-25 | $75 | Sarah Beattie | META | Pitkin County Democratic Party | — |
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| 2025-08-27 | $20 | Sarah Beattie | META | Pitkin County Democratic Party | — |
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### KEY FINDING: Jake Levine → Matt Ball
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**Jake Levine**, a Meta Product Manager based in Los Angeles, CA (4157 Tivoli Ave, 90066), contributed:
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- **$450** to "MATT BALL FOR COLORADO" (candidate committee) on 2025-06-02
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- **$725** to "BALL FOR ALL LEADERSHIP FUND" (political committee) on 2025-06-02
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- **Total: $1,175** to Matt Ball's campaign apparatus
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**Significance:** Matt Ball is a Colorado State Senator who sponsors **SB26-051** (Age Attestation on Computing Devices), one of three ASAA-model bills in Colorado. A Meta employee contributing to an ASAA bill sponsor's campaign creates a documented financial connection between Meta and the legislator pushing Meta's preferred policy.
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**Caveat:** This is a personal contribution from an individual employee, not a PAC or corporate contribution. Colorado's individual contribution limit is $450 for candidate committees. The $725 to the leadership fund may exceed the candidate limit because leadership PACs have different rules.
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---
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## 4. Other Tech Company Employee Contributions to Matt Ball
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| Date | Amount | Name | Employer | Role |
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|------|--------|------|----------|------|
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| **2025-03-24** | **$450** | **Kyle Gardner** | **Google** | **Policy Manager** |
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| 2025-06-14 | $450 | James Rosenthal | Pinterest | Attorney/Legal |
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**Significance:** A Google **Policy Manager** also contributed to Matt Ball. Google is directly affected by ASAA (as an app store operator). The combination of Meta employee + Google policy manager donating to the same ASAA sponsor is notable, though both companies take opposite sides of the ASAA debate (Meta supports it, Google is required to comply).
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## 5. Headwaters Strategies Staff — Contribution Patterns
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Neither Eichberg nor Coyne contributed to ASAA bill sponsors. Their giving patterns suggest:
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1. **Broad Democratic support**: Both give to dozens of Democratic candidates across Colorado
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2. **Bipartisan exceptions**: Both contributed to Barbara Kirkmeyer (Republican), suggesting strategic rather than purely partisan giving
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3. **2025 gubernatorial focus**: Both gave to Michael Bennet's gubernatorial campaign
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4. **Standard lobbyist behavior**: Wide distribution of maximum-limit contributions builds relationships across the legislature
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5. **No ASAA-specific targeting**: Neither focused contributions on the specific legislators sponsoring Meta's preferred bills
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---
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## 6. Contributions TO ASAA Bill Sponsors from Investigation Targets
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### To Matt Ball (SB26-051 sponsor):
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| Contributor | Employer | Amount | Date |
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|-------------|----------|--------|------|
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| **Jake Levine** | **Meta** | **$1,175** | 2025-06-02 |
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| Kyle Gardner | Google | $450 | 2025-03-24 |
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| James Rosenthal | Pinterest | $450 | 2025-06-14 |
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### To Amy Paschal (HB25-1287 co-sponsor):
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| Contributor | Connection | Amount | Date |
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|-------------|------------|--------|------|
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| Sheet Metal Workers' SDC | Union | $1,100 | 2024-09-04 |
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**No contributions from Eichberg, Coyne, Headwaters, Meta PAC, or Facebook PAC to either Ball or Paschal.**
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## 7. Conclusions
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### What This Establishes
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1. **A Meta employee (Levine) contributed $1,175 to ASAA sponsor Matt Ball** — documented financial link
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2. **A Google Policy Manager also contributed to Ball** — multiple tech company employees targeting the same legislator
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3. **Eichberg and Coyne are prolific political donors** ($20K+ combined) but did NOT target ASAA sponsors
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4. **No Meta PAC or corporate contributions** to ASAA sponsors found in Colorado TRACER data
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5. **Headwaters staff contributions follow standard lobbyist patterns** — broad relationship-building, not issue-targeted
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### What Remains Unknown
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1. Whether Jake Levine's contribution was coordinated by Meta's government affairs team or purely personal
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2. Whether Meta's ATEP super PAC ($45M) made independent expenditures supporting Ball or Paschal
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3. Whether Headwaters or Meta made contributions to PACs that subsequently contributed to ASAA sponsors (indirect pathway)
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---
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## Sources
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- CO TRACER Bulk Downloads: https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov/PublicSite/DataDownload.aspx
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- 2024 Contribution Data: 2024_ContributionData.csv (65MB, via TRACER bulk download)
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- 2025 Contribution Data: 2025_ContributionData.csv (50MB, via TRACER bulk download)
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- 2026 Contribution Data: 2026_ContributionData.csv (17MB, via TRACER bulk download)
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