Ryan Call, the former chair of the Colorado Republican Party is being accused of embezzling nearly $280,000 from a political action committee that backed former President Donald Trump.
The story: The Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel filed a complaint against Call that accuses him of illegally funneling money from the Rebuilding America Now PAC. The PAC was established in 2016 by former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort and Tom Barrack, a real estate investor and supporter of the former president, KUSA-TV reported.
During that time, Call, who served two terms as chairman of the Colorado GOP between 2011 and 2015, worked as the committee’s treasurer.
In detail: The complaint alleges that he “knowingly misappropriated” $278,169.45.
“Respondent knowingly misappropriated $278,169.45 from (Rebuilding America Now),” the complaint reportedly reads. “Specifically, he transferred $278,169.45 of RAN funds to himself, knowing that the funds belonged to RAN, and knowing that he was not entitled to the funds and that RAN had not authorized him to take the funds for his own purposes.”
He transferred that amount in 37 separate transactions between September 2016 and January 2019.
The complaint was first reported by Colorado Newsline. The outlet said it obtained it through a public records request.
Call also allegedly did not report a $1 million contribution to the super PAC from Los Angeles real estate developer Geoffrey Palmer for more than two years. Instead, he secretly signed a contract with Rebuilding America Now “in his personal capacity” and “signed for both parties.” Under the contract, he was meant to receive $5,000 per month for “political strategy and fundraising support and assistance.”
The PAC, according to the complaint, fired Call in 2019 and sent a letter to the Denver-based law firm called Hale Westfall, where he worked, alleging “erratic and potentially unauthorized” behavior. Hale Westfall parted ways with Call several months later.
