DENVER (AP) – Colorado auditors won’t investigate how Republican Secretary of State Scott Gessler uses his discretionary fund after lawmakers deadlocked on whether to proceed.

A request to audit Gessler failed Tuesday on a 4-4 vote from the legislative audit committee, with Democrats in favor of the investigation and Republicans against.

Democrats have criticized Gessler for getting reimbursed $1,570 for travel to the Republican National Convention and a GOP election law training event in Florida. Democrats wanted an audit looking at all expenses from Gessler’s office’s discretionary fund since he took office in 2011.

Gessler has said his use of his office’s discretionary fund is line with his predecessor’s practices and that he did nothing wrong.

Republicans wanted to wait on an audit until an ethics panel and Denver prosecutors concluded their investigations into Gessler’s expenses.

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