A dark money group on Tuesday filed a complaint alleging Dan Gibbs, executive director of the Department of Natural Resources, falsified documents and his agency gave a sweetheart deal to his wife’s employer.

The complaint from Defend Colorado, which has targeted Democrats, alleges Gibbs awarded the Keystone Policy Center, a think tank where the complaint says Johanna Raquet Gibbs is a senior policy director, a contract valued at $496,000. The contract was “for services related to public outreach on wolf reintroduction in Colorado,” the complaint said. 

The bid for the contract from Keystone was not the lowest, with CDR Associates lodging a bid 45% lower than the Keystone’s.

However, a current list of Keystone staffers does not list Johanna Gibbs. A spokesman for Keystone said she left on June 30. The Department of Natural Resources did not respond to a request for comment.

The complaint also alleges Gibbs filed false Conflict of Interest Disclosures in 2020 and 2021 that stated his department did not retain a consultant or contractor in which a member of his immediate family is employed.

The contract with Keystone was issued on April 22, 2021.  

“Having an Executive Director of a state agency award a $496,000 contract to his wife’s employer, over a competing bid that was nearly 50% lower, and refusing to publicly disclose the conflict of interest, is a clear violation of state law and a blatant disregard of the public trust,” said George Brauchler, who filed the complaint on behalf of Defend Colorado. “There is a clear pattern of indifference for Colorado’s stringent ethics laws from highest level of state government.”  

The Keystone Policy Center is run by former state Rep. Christine Scanlan, D-Dillon, and is a frequent go-to for state projects on education, Native American affairs, health care and public health.

A statement from Defend Colorado said Gibbs’ actions are a violation of Amendment 41, as well as several state laws and executive orders on state official ethical conduct.

Defend Colorado also recently filed ethics complaints against Attorney General Phil Weiser and Gov. Jared Polis. 

The group, which does not disclose its funders, spent more than $500,000 on Denver ballot measures for the 2021 general election, all which failed. The group also gave $250,000 to an issue committee supporting the 2022 ballot measure that asks voters to reduce the state income tax.

The ethics complaint filed Dec. 21 against DNR Executive Director Dan Gibbs by Defend Colorado.