Wealthy leftists spread their influence while despising those they manipulate

Colorado's best-known progressive donors are advancing their political and ideological agenda through a web of advocacy and nonprofit groups, many of which claim nonpartisanship and receive tax exemptions.

The 37 organizations that collectively receive millions at the direction of the Colorado Democracy Alliance (CoDA) serve unique purposes in the progressive power brokers' toolbox.

They build voting blocs, provide policy research, shape media communications, train progressive leaders or encourage civic engagement, according to the alliance's organizing documents.

CoDA executive director Laurie Zeller laid out a bit of the largely secretive alliance's game plan at a meeting at the Democratic National Convention.

The former intern who leaked documents detailing the Colorado Democracy Alliance's strategy and funding stepped forward this week to vouch for their authenticity, including that of a disputed memo referring to minorities and high-school dropouts as "idiots."

Mark Grueskin, legal adviser for the Colorado Democracy Alliance, on Monday challenged Smith's credibility and maintained that the "idiots" memo - also chock-full of cloak-and-dagger language - is a forgery.

The document, which became a campaign tool with which to beat up Democrats after it was published on a conservative news site, uses such terms as "HIGH-COVERT," "Imbedded Media Ops" and "rendezvous" to describe the group's operations and meetings.

"No one associated with the Colorado Democracy Alliance is responsible for the memo that has caused this stir. For starters, only a character in a 1940s spy novel would use (that) language," said Grueskin, who has authenticated many other leaked documents outlining the alliance's structure. "There is just one person who says this memo is authentic."

Grueskin said he believes there are legal options open to the alliance in this case but that to his knowledge, no one has suggested pursuing them.