The Arapahoe County District Attorney's Office will not file charges against Colorado Division of Lottery employees accused of improperly accepting gifts from vendors between 1999 and 2003.
The decision following an investigation was revealed in a 21-page report issued by former District Attorney Jim Peters on Jan. 10 and obtained Tuesday by Denver's KCNC-Channel 4.
The report focused on several lottery commissioners and employees, including former director Mark Zamarripa who resigned in November 2003.
Peters also examined Rule 11, which was supposed to guide employees and commissioners on the acceptance of gifts from those under contract with the lottery.
"Based upon the investigation, it is clear that the commissioners receive no formal instruction on Rule 11 when they are appointed," the report stated. "To the extent they are aware of Rule 11, they are providing no clear guidance (setting no consistent example) to the employees of the lottery with regard to the implementation and application of Rule 11."
The report also was critical of some investigations of employees and found inaccurate accounts of employees receiving gifts, including one instance when a vendor said a worker received a gratuity while that person actually was in the hospital.
Zamarripa said he felt vindicated by the report.
"Gosh, it's been a long 16 months," he said. "I'm grateful to the report and it validates what we've said all along - we followed the law and the rules." Michael Cooke, executive director of the Department of Revenue, which oversees the lottery, said she respected the report's findings, but still believes some conduct wasn't appropriate.
Wonder if they got hockey tickets for NHL games that were never played.
Thats the way the BALL BOUNCES...EEESSES
AND...............................................................
The cookie crumbles.........................EEESSES
LOL to ALL.......................................................