U.S. Senate See Full Big Line

(D) J. Hickenlooper*

(R) Somebody

80%

20%

(D) Phil Weiser

(D) Joe Neguse

(D) Jena Griswold

60%

60%

40%↓

Att. General See Full Big Line

(D) M. Dougherty

(D) Alexis King

(D) Brian Mason

40%

40%

30%

Sec. of State See Full Big Line
(D) A. Gonzalez

(D) George Stern

(R) Sheri Davis

50%↑

40%

30%

State Treasurer See Full Big Line

(D) Brianna Titone

(R) Kevin Grantham

(D) Jerry DiTullio

60%

30%

20%

CO-01 (Denver) See Full Big Line

(D) Diana DeGette*

(R) Somebody

90%

2%

CO-02 (Boulder-ish) See Full Big Line

(D) Joe Neguse*

(R) Somebody

90%

2%

CO-03 (West & Southern CO) See Full Big Line

(R) Jeff Hurd*

(D) Somebody

80%

40%

CO-04 (Northeast-ish Colorado) See Full Big Line

(R) Lauren Boebert*

(D) Somebody

90%

10%

CO-05 (Colorado Springs) See Full Big Line

(R) Jeff Crank*

(D) Somebody

80%

20%

CO-06 (Aurora) See Full Big Line

(D) Jason Crow*

(R) Somebody

90%

10%

CO-07 (Jefferson County) See Full Big Line

(D) B. Pettersen*

(R) Somebody

90%

10%

CO-08 (Northern Colo.) See Full Big Line

(R) Gabe Evans*

(D) Yadira Caraveo

(D) Joe Salazar

50%

40%

40%

State Senate Majority See Full Big Line

DEMOCRATS

REPUBLICANS

80%

20%

State House Majority See Full Big Line

DEMOCRATS

REPUBLICANS

95%

5%

Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors
February 12, 2009 02:04 AM UTC

Liberate Senate Blackberrys!

  • 11 Comments
  • by: Colorado Pols

Here’s one we can all rally around–red and blue alike, as the Rocky Mountain News reports:

When a Republican senator walked to the podium and opposed a transportation bill he had supported in committee, a conspiracy was born:

Could the lawmaker have been getting e-mail instructions on how to vote from state GOP chairman Dick Wadhams?

Senate rules prevent lawmakers from using “wireless devices” when final votes are taken on a bill on the floor.

Senate President Peter Groff said he has no reason to believe Wadhams was acting as grand puppeteer – and Wadhams called the idea “crazy.”

But Groff said when he got the complaint it dawned on him: Lots of senators have been e-mailing or texting or checking their phones during votes. And fellow Democrats have been some of the worst violators.

Groff reminded lawmakers of the rule in a memo distributed Wednesday that kicked off a firestorm of protests, especially from lawmakers who record their own votes in their computers, send their votes to Twitter or research an issue if something comes up.

“We need to get rid of this rule,” Sen. Greg Brophy, R-Wray, said afterward. “It’s ridiculous.”

Sen. Evie Hudak, D-Westminster, who’s known for constantly looking at her Blackberry, also chimed in.

“I guess you’re going to have to pry my Blackberry out of my cold, dead hands. I’m with Obama on this,” she joked, referring to the president’s decision to keep his device.

No one’s having more fun with the issue than Wadhams.

“Darn, I didn’t think you’d find out,” he said. “But I don’t have time to talk to you. I have to call a lawmaker and tell him how to vote.”

Our view: without a doubt the best idea since the Bill Owens “No Colorado Pols” executive order. How’d that end up working out, anyway? We have to confess we never noticed much of a blip. Tough to imagine this will be any different–after all, doesn’t being prohibited from doing something just make you want it more?

Comments

11 thoughts on “Liberate Senate Blackberrys!

  1. This seems goofy to me. Are they afraid that using wireless devices during final floor votes is going to influence how they vote?

    When they take a lobbyist meeting, they’re being influenced how to vote. When they get an email or phone call from a constituent, they’re being influenced how to vote. When they get pressure from the leadership or the gov’s office, they’re being influenced how to vote.

    Who cares if the influence in question comes in the form of an email/text/etc on the floor, vs. any other method? Or is the wireless ban more just a matter of decorum?

  2. So click the link on the “No Colorado Pols” executive order and check out the comments. Aside from the dog porn stuff, the only person I recognize who was posting in 2005 is Phoenix Rising.

    Did a bunch of people change their names, or has Pols’ readership really shifted that drastically in 3 years?  

    1. I had trouble retrieving my password when Pols changed platforms, and another time when a laptop crashed and I lost all my passwords. But there are a lot of folks long gone, too. Isn’t Phoenix’s member number in the single digits?

        1. K.I.S.S.

          For forums and such, so what if some one actually figures out my password?  What will they do, make me look like a Republican or something?

          Even more critical passwords needing more difficulty to hack still use the core, just adding some characters.

          A decade on the net and nothing has ever happened.  Well, password or hacking wise.

Leave a Comment

Recent Comments


Posts about

Donald Trump
SEE MORE

Posts about

Rep. Lauren Boebert
SEE MORE

Posts about

Rep. Gabe Evans
SEE MORE

Posts about

Colorado House
SEE MORE

Posts about

Colorado Senate
SEE MORE

58 readers online now

Newsletter

Subscribe to our monthly newsletter to stay in the loop with regular updates!