With the Colorado primary just weeks away, the Democratic race in Denver’s House District 6 has erupted into dueling complaints and legal challenges, underscoring the district’s long‑running divide between moderates and progressives.

In Denver’s House District 6, the Democratic primary features a matchup between state Rep. Sean Camacho, a moderate, and civil rights attorney Iris Halpern, who is supported by progressive groups including the Working Families Party.

With tensions already running high, a Camacho supporter has filed a complaint with the lobbying commission against Halpern, while a progressive activist in the district has filed a lawsuit against Camacho.

The district has been a flashpoint between moderate and progressive Democrats in recent years, and this election cycle is proving no different.

Halpern has long testified at the state Capitol on legislation, representing the Colorado Women’s Bar Association, her law firm, Rathod Mohamedbhai, LLC, and the Colorado Trial Lawyers Association.

That activity has resulted in a complaint filed with the Secretary of State that Halpern should have registered as a lobbyist.

The complaint was filed on March 11 by Bethany Morris, the director of communications for the Colorado Education Association and a resident of House District 6.

Morris was elected via the caucus process on March 3 to be a delegate to the Denver Democratic Assembly on March 14, as a Camacho supporter.

The assembly, which chose Halpern and Camacho for the HD 6 primary, took place three days after Morris filed the complaint. 

While Morris did not return a request for comment, Camacho told Colorado Politics he was aware of the complaint but learned about it after it had already been filed. 

“I had no prior knowledge of the filing and did not request or direct anyone to submit it,” he said.

Morris’ complaint, now under review by the Secretary of State’s Elections Division, says Halpern has lobbied on behalf of Rathod Mohamedbhai or the Colorado Women’s Bar Association 13 times over the past eight years.

The complaint states that “Halpern has demonstrated a clear pattern of lobbying the State Legislature across numerous bills and over many years. She is taking credit for these lobbying efforts in her attempt to get elected to the state legislature.”

The complaint does not appear to provide any other evidence, other than testifying on legislation, that Halpern lobbied the legislature on the bills.

Is testifying on bills considered lobbying?

No, according to Lacey Hays, head of the Colorado Lobbyist Association. She told Colorado Politics that a person can testify on legislation — once or a thousand times — on behalf of any organization, corporation, or even themselves, and it still does not make them a lobbyist.

Colorado statutes (CRS 24-6-301 through 24-6-309) specify that lobbying does not include people who are not registered lobbyists and who limit their involvement to testifying or providing information to legislative committees or at public hearings. It also covers those who testify or provide information at the request of public officials, as long as they clearly identify themselves and the interests they represent.

The law further excludes communications made by an attorney on behalf of an identified client when those communications occur through the attorney’s legal practice.

That’s the same guidance the General Assembly provides on its website. It states that lobbying “does not apply to persons not registered as lobbyists who limit their activities to giving testimony or providing information.”

Halpern said that all she does is testify.

According to Hays, the distinction lies in what happens after the testimony. If someone approaches a lawmaker outside the hearing — for example, to thank them for a vote — that additional contact constitutes lobbying.

The complaint also argues that if Halpern is considered a lobbyist, then she made illegal campaign contributions to lawmakers during the legislative session, when lobbyists are prohibited from donating.

Additionally, an anti-Halpern ad running on YouTube claims the campaign contributions are part of a “corruption scandal that rocked the state Capitol.”

Colorado Politics is not aware of any recent “corruption scandal” involving campaign contributions made during the legislative session. The group behind the ad, identified as Denver Progressives United, has not reported any campaign contributions or spending related to it. A call to the group’s registered agent was not returned.

House District 6 has been a focal point in the ongoing tension between progressive and moderate Democrats for several years, and it has consistently been one of the most closely watched — and expensive — primary contests in the last two election cycles.

Camacho defeated then‑Rep. Elisabeth Epps ran in the 2024 Democratic primary and went on to win the general election by a wide margin.

Of the complaint, Halpern said, “What we’re seeing across the country is how dirty and underhanded elections are getting, and it disproportionately affects women.”

Halpern said she does not believe the complaint reflects the split between moderates and progressives, but it may be an effort to level the playing field.

That pertains to the ethics complaint filed against Camacho, and a lawsuit filed last month by a progressive activist who lives in HD 6.

Camacho is part of the moderate Opportunity Caucus, which is under investigation by the state ethics commission. Camacho is one of the lawmakers charged with ethics violations tied to an October 2025 retreat in Vail, which was allegedly paid for by the dark-money group One Main Street.

Camacho was named in a lawsuit filed in April by Derrick Blanton, a progressive activist who lives in House District 6. He did not, however, participate in the March caucus or the Denver Democratic Assembly, based on assembly records.

Blanton did not return a request for comment.

The lawsuit was filed by Scott Moss, who filed the ethics complaints against the members of the Opportunity Caucus, and also names Sen. Lindsey Daugherty, D-Arvada. 

Camacho and Daugherty are the caucus’s co-chairs.

It claims Blanton filed an open records request with the legislature for records related to the Vail retreat and was told there were none. 

According to CBS4, which first reported the lawsuit on April 10, the lawmakers later claimed the records were not subject to the open records law because the caucus is a private body and they attended the retreat as “private citizens.”

Moss made a $250 campaign contribution to Halpern in January.

The Elections Division moved the lobbying complaint to the investigation phase on March 30, and on April 27, extended the investigation deadline to May 27.