Senate Republicans on Wednesday unveiled a policing reform bill that would discourage, but not ban, tactics such as chokeholds and no-knock warrants, offering a competing approach to legislation being advanced by House Democrats that includes more directives from Washington.
The Republican proposal, which Senate leaders said would be considered on the floor next week, veers away from mandating certain policing practices, as the Democratic plan does.
Instead, it encourages thousands of local police and law enforcement agencies to curtail practices such as chokeholds and certain no-knock warrants by withholding federal funding to departments that allow the tactics or do not submit reports related to them.
The legislation also requires local law enforcement agencies to report all officer-involved deaths to the FBI — an effort pushed by Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), who is spearheading the GOP bill, since 2015 — and it encourages broader use of body-worn cameras for officers.
On Tuesday, President Trump signed an executive order outlining new policies to deal with police brutality — as he offered effusive praise for law enforcement officials. From CNN:
Speaking during a discursive noontime event in the Rose Garden, Trump initially sought to adopt a unifying tone as he announced an executive order that, among other steps, creates a federal database of police officers with a history of using excessive force.
But later he veered from that topic and that tone to assault his political rivals and tout the stock market’s recent rally.
It was a performance that laid bare the balance Trump faces as he continues to embrace a hard line “law and order” mantle, which he believes benefits him politically, even as he confronts a national reckoning over systemic racism in police departments and outcry over violent police tactics.
Don’t feel bad: We also had to look up the meaning of “discursive.”
“The federal executive order is more of a guideline,” said Andre Andeli, a lecturer in the criminal justice and criminology department at Metropolitan State University of Denver.
► As The New York Times reports, China is shutting things down again as a new wave of COVID-19 infections is spreading through the country:
With a fresh outbreak of coronavirus infections tied to a market — 137 cases after an additional 31 were reported on Wednesday — Beijing has started living through a milder, and so far limited, version of the disruptive restrictions that China enforced earlier this year to stifle its first tidal wave of infections. Residents in the capital have been sharply reminded that even in China — with its array of authoritarian powers — the virus can leap back to life, triggering new rounds of limits on their lives.
The new outbreak in Beijing has brought embarrassment and a tough response from the Chinese Communist Party. Officials had been proud to the point of gloating in recent weeks about their success in stifling the pandemic in the country. Now the virus is back.
Here in the United States, Texas, Florida, and Arizona set new records for daily COVID-19 cases on Tuesday. Vice President Mike Pencesays not to worry…so, yeah, you should probably start to worry a little.
► The Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate held their final pre-Primary debate on Tuesday. As The Denver Post reports:
Racial justice was a big topic during the debate, given the protests that have been taking place on the streets of Denver and multiple other cities following the May 25 death of George Floyd, a black man who was pinned by the neck under a white Minneapolis police officer’s knee.
Both candidates conceded that they had not done enough to address the issue during their time in politics. Hickenlooper said despite efforts to reform police conduct in Denver when he was mayor of the city during the 2000s, “we didn’t go far enough and I regret that.”
Romanoff echoed those sentiments, saying “none of us have done enough.”
If you’re looking for political news that isn’t about Coronavirus, it’s available right after the jump…
Now Only Partially Coronavirus-Related…
► POLITICO features Colorado in a story about how to responsibly re-open your state after a COVID-19 outbreak.
►The Denver Post reports on a significant piece of legislation signed by Gov. Jared Polis on Tuesday that may have gotten lost in today’s bonkers news atmosphere:
Thousands of Colorado state employees will now be able to negotiate their pay, benefits and workplace conditions after Gov. Jared Polis signed a bill expanding their union powers Tuesday.
One day after the legislative session ended, Polis signed House Bill 1153, which passed earlier this month and was sent to his desk last week.
The bill will allow the employees to collectively bargain through their union. Previously, Colorado was one of 14 states where state employees couldn’t negotiate their pay and benefits. Polis expressed his support for the bill when it was announced in January after opposing a similar bill last year.
Colorado Workers for Innovative and New Solutions, the union representing more than 28,000 state employees, called the bill a win after a 12-year fight to allow collective bargaining with the state, helping to address issues of systemic inequality for workers who have traditionally been excluded from the right to organize.
► It was inevitable that someone was going to be shot by a gun-toting, “Call of Duty” cosplay “militia” member in the United States. That’s what happened in New Mexico on Monday. In the wake of that shooting, the Colorado Springs Independent takes a look at the people behind the “Call of Duty” gear in their neck of the woods.
► According to a new report, the United States could see 500,000 fewer births next year because of the coronavirus recession. It even has a catchy nickname: “Covid Baby Bust.”
► The United States Justice DepartmentDonald Trump’s personal law firm is suing to block the forthcoming release of a new book from former National Security Adviser John Bolton that may be unflattering for President Trump. If the goal here was to help Bolton sell more books, then this stunt is probably going to work really well.
►Colorado Public Radio considers whether the Black Lives Matter protests will translate into a bunch of new active voters in November.
► The director of the Centers for Disease Control appears to have played a significant role in lowering health safety guidelines at a meat processing plant in Greeley, which saw numerous workers infected with COVID-19 (including several deaths).
► The State of Colorado released additional COVID-19 safety guidelines. The gist of the new information is this: You should probably avoid bars and gyms. Do your drinking and exercising at home.
► You probably missed this (we definitely missed it), but there was some significant political movement in West Virginia last week. As Chris Cillizzaexplains for CNN:
Last Tuesday in West Virginia, something remarkable happened: 10(!) sitting Republican state legislators — including the state Senate president and a former House majority leader — lost in primaries.
That’s a stunning number — especially when you consider that Republicans control a total of 78 seats in the state House (58) and state Senate (20). A little math reveals that almost 13% of all Republicans in the West Virginia state legislature appear to have lost their seats a week ago. (Absentee and provisional ballots are still being counted, but are not expected to overturn any of the results.) In the state Senate, three Republican incumbents were defeated as compared to seven who won their primaries. (Only half of the state’s 34 state Senate seats are on the ballot in 2020.)…
…But it’s also worth noting that none of the 13 Democrats in the state House and state Senate who were seeking re-nomination lost. So what happened last Tuesday doesn’t appear to be solely about throwing the bums (of both parties) out.
►President Trump said on Tuesday that former President Obama never did anything to address police brutality in the United States. This is…not at all true.
— The Lincoln Project (@ProjectLincoln) June 16, 2020
► In the latest episode of The Get More Smarter Podcast, polling guru and poker shark Andrew Baumann explains everything you ever wanted to know about political polling.
Don’t forget to give Colorado Pols a thumbs up on Facebook and Twitter.
∗∗∗
Your local news outlets need you! Consider making a donation to help fund continuing operations at Westword or The Aurora Sentinel
∗∗∗
he Senate on Wednesday overwhelmingly passed a bipartisan, landmark bill to permanently fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which taps oil and gas revenue to pay for acquiring new federal lands.
Groups representing cattle and sheep producers opposed the bill but found little support beyond the chamber’s most conservative members, and western Republicans were divided. The bill’s cosponsors included Republicans Cory Gardner of Colorado and Steve Daines of Montana, both of whom face tough reelection races this year.
Kaitlynn Glover, executive director of natural resources for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, said Wednesday that mandating funding for the LWCF would sentence “existing and future lands and waters to the same fate facing current federal assets — billions of dollars in deferred maintenances. Today is indeed a landmark day — with this legislation, Congress has abdicated their responsibility and privilege to engage in these important conservation decision.”
"Borges cited Trump's lack of decorum, the departure from GOP ideals on free trade and the president's self-dealing as reasons why he couldn't vote for the Republican president again. If a Democrat such as former President Barack Obama did the same things, Republicans would be up in arms, Borges argued.
"For some reason when this guy does it, many people don’t seem to notice," Borges said."
#SinkingShip The sycophants to every tyrant in history always said they never supported that tyrant once he lost power or was in the process of losing power. The refrain is always:
"I can only speak for myself on this issue. If it's appropriate to take another look at these names, I'm personally OK with that, and I am a descendent of a Confederate veteran myself," McConnell said.
For conservative Christian groups, Monday’s Supreme Court ruling protecting the rights of gay and transgender workers was not only the latest sign that they are losing the American culture wars over sexuality. It also caused widespread concern that it could affect how they operate their own institutions.
WASHINGTON—President Trump’s decision-making consistently prioritized his reelection and his family’s well-being ahead of the national interest, according to a new book from his former national security adviser, John Bolton, who describes “obstruction of justice as a way of life” inside the Trump White House and denounces what he says is the president’s penchant to “give personal favors to dictators he liked.”
The Loveland militiaman who held two roofing salesmen hostage, kneeling on the back of the African-American salesman, calling them both "antifa",- that guy – was just released on $500 bail. Chilling reporting from the Loveland Reporter-Herald.
Wonder how all of those Weld County RWNJs contributed to the misinformation that led Mr. Gudmundsen to the idea that he was a Warrior Against Antifa. Waiting for them to denounce Mr. Gudmundsen's actions.
Ms. Marble? Ms. Saine? Mr. Buck? Mr. Neville? Rev. Sulean? Pastor Grant? Ms. Kirkmeyer? Anyone? Anyone?
June 17, 2020 10:23 AM UTC
9 Comments
Happy 
Landmark lands bill easily passes Senate (given we spend 10x more on fossil fuel subsidies than public eduction from Treasury dollars this seems long over-due)
Time Magazine did a piece on drought and desertification a decade ago; last week we've finally seen some movement in the Senate to address the role of soils in climate mitigation. This has been a heavy lift with most of agriculture being ideologically-opposed to this silly notion.
Don’t tell Tig, but there have been several reports of possible antifa infiltrators in Colorado seen openly carrying red soda cans . . .
Ex-Ohio Republican Party chairman leads super PAC to oust President Donald Trump
#SinkingShip The sycophants to every tyrant in history always said they never supported that tyrant once he lost power or was in the process of losing power. The refrain is always:
McConnell Breaks With Trump, Says He Is 'OK' With Renaming Bases with Confederate Ties
#WhiteProsperityJesus weeps. Sad reacts only:
Conservative Christians See ‘Seismic Implications’ in Supreme Court Ruling
I'll take "What is conspiracy and obstruction of justice?" for $1,000 Alex:
Trump Put Re-Election Prospects Ahead of National Interest, Bolton Alleges
The Loveland militiaman who held two roofing salesmen hostage, kneeling on the back of the African-American salesman, calling them both "antifa",- that guy – was just released on $500 bail. Chilling reporting from the Loveland Reporter-Herald.
Wonder how all of those Weld County RWNJs contributed to the misinformation that led Mr. Gudmundsen to the idea that he was a Warrior Against Antifa. Waiting for them to denounce Mr. Gudmundsen's actions.
Ms. Marble? Ms. Saine? Mr. Buck? Mr. Neville? Rev. Sulean? Pastor Grant? Ms. Kirkmeyer? Anyone? Anyone?
…waiting…..
Just as you're waiting for Limbaugh, Hannity, Carlson, etc.