January 06, 2011 12:15 AM UTC

Huh, Didn't Realize That was a Function of the Secretary of State

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• by: irkedbyzealots

Polsters, please correct me if I’m wrong, but it’s not customary for the secretary of state’s office to host a welcoming reception for the new secretary of state, right? I received the following e-mail (after the jump) and thought to myself, “Surely Scott Gessler isn’t going to have the taxpayer-funded secretary of state’s office pay for a reception at the secretary of state’s office celebrating his first day on the job as an employee whose salary is paid for by taxpayers, right?” Because the invitation was sent from the secretary of state’s official e-mail and lists the secretary of state’s office as the location for the reception…

Here’s the e-mail, from the secretary of state’s e-mail address:

From: Colorado Department of State [mailto:sos@sos.state.co.us]

Sent: Wednesday, January 05, 2011 11:59 AM

To: undisclosed-recipients:

Subject: Welcoming Reception for Scott Gessler

Customers and Staff of the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office are cordially invited to attend a welcoming reception for

Scott Gessler

Colorado’s 37th Secretary of State

Tuesday, January 11 from 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Colorado Secretary of State’s Office

1700 Broadway, Denver, CO 80290

Aspen Room, 3rd Floor

Space is limited. Please R.S.V.P. by responding to this e-mail if you plan to attend.

Light snacks and refreshments served

Now if I were a legislator of either party, I would ask whomever defends the secretary of state’s budget before the JBC where in the department’s budget the line item is for a welcoming reception for the new secretary of state and why that expense is necessary in light of the state’s continuing fiscal crisis.