The Colorado Supreme Court Justices are used to being in a courtroom. If the former executive director of the Colorado Commission on Judicial Discipline (CCJD) gets his way, they’ll do so from a slightly different vantage point than they’re used to — sitting at the defendants’ table instead of on the bench.
In a federal lawsuit filed the U.S. District Court in the District of Colorado on October 23, 2025, Christopher Gregory alleges that the Justices, along with Attorney General Phil Weiser, Governor Jared Polis, and a host of other state officials, conspired to cover up a generous contract intended to be a quid pro quo bribe to buy the silence of an outgoing employee of the Colorado Office of the State Auditor. It further accuses the raft of defendants of unjustly causing his termination from the CCJD for trying to expose the judicial misconduct and hold those involved responsible.
Gregory’s legal crosshairs are focused on those who were caught up in the years-long cover-up and scandal involving the so-called “Masias Memo,” which led to a Chief Justice of the Colorado Supreme Court being censured over the financial imbroglio. Claiming violation of his constitutional rights under the False Claims Act, Gregory is seeking to have appointees based on Colorado politics in departments overseeing Colorado’s judicial branch removed, along with twice his back pay and any other declaratory or punitive relief the court feels is justified.
Rocky Mountain Bye
Gregory accuses the state supreme court and others of misconduct centered around Mindy Masias, the former chief of staff of the State Court Administrator’s Office. In 2018, Masias was accused of making a false reimbursement claim. Further investigations uncovered additional financial irregularities, and preparations were made to terminate Masias' employment. She wouldn’t be leaving the Colorado Judicial Department empty-handed, though, as she was scheduled to receive a five-year contract of around $2.75 million from the state for “training services.” This would have given her a pay rate approximately three times that of a Colorado Supreme Court Justice.
Things blew up in 2022 as the Denver Gazette released a story stating that Masias was being given the contract to stay silent about judicial misconduct that was either covered up or unreported. An independent investigation declared that the contract was offered in good faith “to retain a valued employee” and that then-Chief Justice Nathan Coats had lacked control of the department. Coats was later censured for approving the Masias contract and resigned.
Gregory claims that his efforts to expose the findings from his investigation as executive director of the CCJD were blocked, hampered, and censored by the judiciary, the Colorado Judicial Discipline Rulemaking Committee (CJDRC), and state officials in Colorado Springs. The suit charges that those involved conspired to prevent him from revealing the ethical misconduct and criminal acts committed in both the alleged crimes and the ensuing obfuscation and cover-ups. This retaliation and harassment culminated in his removal from the CCJD in January 2024.
Whistles Are Meant To Be Blown
Gregory’s lawsuit accuses the defendants of violating several of his federal and state constitutional rights, including freedom of speech, due process, and the right to report evidence of official misconduct and public fraud. His demands include writs of mandamus calling for the removal of appointees to any Colorado judiciary oversight committees made by Governor Polis, Attorney General Weiser, and the Colorado Supreme Court, as well as a ban on such appointments going forward.
He also seeks to be made whole again. In addition to being immediately reinstated as the executive director of the CCJD, Gregory demands double his back pay with interest, attorneys’ fees, and whatever other relief the court deems appropriate. Perhaps funds will be available, given that the Masias contract was ultimately nixed in 2019.
Related Resources
- Judge’s Political Ties Prompt Misconduct Complaint (FindLaw’s Practice of Law)
- Judge Faces Disciplinary Action for … Having a Life? (FindLaw’s Practice of Law)
- Wrongful Termination Claims (FindLaw’s Employment Law)
