The former executive director of the Colorado Republican Party authorized the downloading of a massive e-mail list from the Republican National Committee in direct violation of a contract signed between the two entities.

Multiple sources say Mike Britt, who is now the campaign manager for gubernatorial candidate Josh Penry, paid someone $500 to manipulate the software being used by the national party and to put the names and e-mails of 160,000 Coloradans on a computer disc that remains in the state party's hands.

Britt, 30, was named to run Penry's campaign in August. He is a New Jersey native who worked for President George W. Bush in the White House and who was regional director for former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney's 2008 campaign for President.