The Denver Post: The administrator’s office of Colorado’s Judicial Department, an independent branch of government with a $600 million annual budget, was so lax and unregulated in how it managed that money that it raises questions about whether the department fostered “a culture of integrity, ethical values, and accountability,”  a state audit released Monday found.

In an 81-page audit of the Supreme Court Administrator’s Office, which state auditors had never specifically looked into before Denver Post stories raised several flags, investigators found millions of dollars in spending and employee payouts that, at the minimum, degraded the public trust, according to the report.

“The results of this audit raise questions about whether the SCAO has acted in a manner that maintains public trust in the Judicial Department and demonstrates good stewardship of state funds,” legislative audit manager Vickie Heller said.

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