UPDATE: Reports: Arrest warrant issued for Douglas Bruce
According to our news partners in Cleveland, Newsnet5, Cleveland’s Housing Court issued an arrest warrant for former Colorado State Representative Douglas Bruce.
According to court records, Bruce owes more than $21,000 in back property taxes. He owns four properties in northeast Ohio. According to Newsnet5, Bruce is facing an arrest warrant for housing code violations on his homes in Ohio.
Bruce told KRDO NewsChannel 13 he asked to have his property valuation reduced and they never scheduled a hearing for him. He also denied accusations that he owed thousands of dollars in the state.
Cleveland Councilman Tony Brancatelli criticized Bruce and his handling of a property in his ward.
“It’s not right that an out-of-town owner would buy property in our city and then refuse to pay property taxes. How would he like it if we did that in his city? Taxpayers are left to pay to have his condemned properties boarded-up, and have the lawns cut,” said Brancatelli.
These accusations come on the heels of Bruce’s appearance in a Denver court Friday. He was convicted in 2012 of tax evasion. He is now facing charges he violated his probation.
One accusation is that he allegedly carried out a real estate deal to avoid paying money he owed the city.
An ethics complaint filed said the deal involved city council member Helen Collins. Documents claim Bruce deeded a property to Collins and then she deeded it to another person to shield Bruce from paying the city a $7,000 judgment.
“The truth is, I did nothing wrong,” said Bruce outside the Denver courtroom Friday.
He said he believes a group of republicans is trying to silence him ahead of Colorado Springs’ upcoming mayoral election. Bruce has been a fierce fighter against tax increases. He penned the Taxpayers’ Bill of Rights almost two decades ago. The amendment to Colorado’s constitution requires the state to refund taxpayers during good economic years.
Bruce said there is a reason this real estate deal with Collins has surfaced.
“To discredit me as a critic of the attorney general who wants to be our mayor,” said Bruce.
He said mayoral candidate and former Colorado attorney general John Suthers wants him gone.
“Someone dropped a dime, I can’t prove it was Mr. Suthers personally, to get a violation of probation hearing to further discredit me. Why? Because Suthers and the new members of council want to propose a tax increase and they want me out of the way. It’s crystal clear,” said Bruce.
Suthers said there is no truth behind Bruce’s comments.
“I had no prior knowledge of the problems. I have talked to no one else about them,” said Suthers.
Suthers said Bruce is responsible for his own legal troubles.
“This is a problem that Mr. Bruce has had for a long time that he simply cannot take responsibility for his own actions. He is always looking for someone else to blame but all these problems he has created for himself,” said Suthers.
Bruce would not do an interview on camera with KRDO NewsChannel 13 to address issues in Ohio.
