(D) J. Hickenlooper*
(D) Julie Gonzales
(R) Janak Joshi
80%
40%
20%
(D) Jena Griswold
(D) M. Dougherty
(D) Hetal Doshi
50%
40%↓
30%
(D) Jeff Bridges
(D) Brianna Titone
(R) Kevin Grantham
50%↑
40%↓
30%
(D) Diana DeGette*
(D) Wanda James
(D) Milat Kiros
80%
20%
10%↓
(D) Joe Neguse*
(R) Somebody
90%
2%
(R) Jeff Hurd*
(D) Alex Kelloff
(R) H. Scheppelman
60%↓
40%↓
30%↑
(R) Lauren Boebert*
(D) E. Laubacher
(D) Trisha Calvarese
90%
30%↑
20%
(R) Jeff Crank*
(D) Jessica Killin
55%↓
45%↑
(D) Jason Crow*
(R) Somebody
90%
2%
(D) B. Pettersen*
(R) Somebody
90%
2%
(R) Gabe Evans*
(D) Shannon Bird
(D) Manny Rutinel
45%↓
30%
30%
DEMOCRATS
REPUBLICANS
80%
20%
DEMOCRATS
REPUBLICANS
95%
5%
(The battle of Andrea Merida vs. everybody else rages on – promoted by Colorado Pols) It’s always good to see our elected officials take to the interwebs to engage in some good ol’ interaction with the people they are supposed to be representing. Of course, for most politicians, that might mean responding on twitter or […]
Late this afternoon, the office of Colorado Attorney General John Suthers released a long-awaited technical guidance letter prepared for the Department of Public Safety on the implementation of House Bill 1224, the magazine limit bill. This technical guidance was requested by Gov. John Hickenlooper at the signing of HB-1224 into law, following the many objections raised […]
UPDATE: A photo forwarded to us from today's press conference announcing the lawsuit against Colorado's new gun safety bills, Dave Kopel of the Independence Institute on the right: See the man in the black shirt on the left? That's Clint Webster, a 2010 GOP candidate for House District 24. What's so special about Clint Webster, […]
The Denver Post's opinion board released their list of winners and losers of the 2013 Colorado legislative session late Thursday. Without getting too far into the weeds criticizing yet another bizarrely skewed perspective on this year's legislative session, in which apparently recording devices only worked when Democrats said something stupid–we've already promised a more comprehensive […]
An example of the kind of mistake that well-paid legislative lobbyists should always avoid making, supplied in a veto request, dated this past Wednesday, that we were forwarded from the Colorado Municipal League to Gov. John Hickenlooper regarding the firefighter collective bargaining bill Senate Bill 13-025. The CML's five-page letter recites the same boilerplate objections to this bill […]
Politico: The Heritage Foundation has gone into damage-control mode in the last few days, after coming under fire from Republicans and conservative outside groups over a report it published that puts the price tag of immigration reform at $6.3 trillion. The conservative think tank is considering hiring a high-profile public relations firm to help deal […]
This year at Colorado Pols, we've faced a real challenge keeping track of the drastically higher volume of unsourced, un-factchecked, and uncritically reported nonsense filling the space between rational debate over the issues affecting Colorado politics during the current legislative session. Particularly with regard to the gun safety debate, but with examples ranging the gamut of […]
(Promoted by Colorado Pols) The Western Slope of Colorado is home to over a thousand, mostly abandoned, uranium mines. Some of them were the real deal, with infrastructure traditional to mining operations. Others are small indentations in the land. These uranium mines were abandoned because there was no real market for their product, usually because […]
A video clip we wanted to be sure got noted in the record, from last Thursday's discussion of Senate Joint Resolution 026, designating last week "Holocaust Awareness Week" in Colorado. The resolution passed unanimously, of course, but not before these…memorable statements from GOP Senators Scott Renfroe of Greeley and Kevin Lundberg of Loveland. RENFROE: The question […]
Throughout the long debate in the Colorado General Assembly, now winding down, over gun safety legislation that became a priority after mass shootings in Aurora, Colorado and elsewhere last year, we have attempted to identify and debunk objectively untruthful, or at least widly exaggerated claims made by opponents of these bills. Examples include the false […]
As of yesterday afternoon, the two most important gun safety bills to survive the agonizing debate in the Colorado General Assembly are on the way to Gov. John Hickenlooper's desk: House Bill 1229, closing the so-called "background check loophole" and requiring a standard CBI background check for most sales of guns, House Bill 1228 reinstating […]
The latest weapon in the war between cost reduction and animal welfare: So-called ag-gag laws, which criminalize whistleblower investigations of animal cruelty. These "see no evil" measures protect agricultural enterprises at the expense of workers and consumers. Although these investigations enjoy the support of 71% of Americans, they mean huge costs for big ag. That's why laws that […]
Since Paul Ryan disowned Taker/Maker Ayn Rand, he's now picked a new favorite Mentor: George Orwell. For instance here's his latest promise: “This session, I’ll advance reforms to protect and strengthen Medicare and Medicaid,” Ryan said Saturday. He'll do that by proposing that the House cut spending enough to wipe out deficits after 10 […]
In 2013, Illinois public sector unions banded together and prevented governmental and corporate attempts to breach public pension contracts and steal earned public pension benefits. Incredibly, in 2010, Colorado public sector
unions actually supported the theft of earned pension benefits from their retired members . . . Colorado PERA retirees.
In 2013, Illinois public sector union members have fought off an attempt by the State of Illinois to push its debt problem onto the backs of public employees. Contrast this success with the behavior of Colorado public sector unions. In 2010, Colorado public sector unions kicked their retired union brothers and sisters in the teeth.
http://www.ilretirementsecurit…
A record of the treachery of Colorado public sector unions exists on the Colorado PERA website:
“In Colorado, Senate Bill 1 passed with the support of the Colorado Coalition for Retirement Security, which brought together Friends of PERA (which includes PERA members and retirees), the Colorado Education Association, the Colorado School and Public Employees Retirement Association, AFSCME Colorado, the American Federation of Teachers Colorado, the Association of Colorado State Patrol Professionals, the Colorado Association of School Executives, and Colorado WINS.”
http://www.copera.org/pera/abo…
In 2010, Colorado PERA argued that it had persuaded some PERA retirees that their pension contracts should be breached. For perspective, here is the testimony of one PERA member to the Colorado PERA Board of Trustees at a PERA “Listening Tour” meeting in 2009:
Sue Ellen Quam in 2009:
“I was a legislative liaison for many, many years. I sat in the Joint Budget Committee for many, many years, and I remember legislators saying ‘You know, you don’t get very good salary increases and your benefits really stink, but you’re gonna get a really good retirement and so just hang in there.”
“So, I find it to be discouraging that the Legislature may be considering saying, ‘We got you on your salary, we got you on your benefits, and now we’re going to get you on your retirement.”
“I’ve heard rumors that the 3.5 percent increase may be reduced or eliminated and that it’s OK with PERA members. It’s not OK with this PERA member.”
Here are a few news accounts of the battle to protect public pension contracts in Illinois:
From the Sun Times:
“Unions lined up to fight the package, arguing that it would not stand up in court because of constitutional protections against the impairment or diminishment of government pensions. But their criticism didn’t stop it from reaching the floor.”
“‘While there’s truth to the statement the Constitution is not a suicide pact, what we have here is an all-out assault on employees,’ said John Stevens, a lawyer for the We Are One Illinois labor coalition, which opposes the pension deal.”
“The head of the Illinois Federation of Teachers, Dan Montgomery, called the language in the pension bill ‘illegal.'”
“‘You’re considering plunging ahead with an illegal plan from our point of view that we would propose violates your oath of office, does not solve state’s fiscal or pension crisis and disrespects hundreds and thousands of public servants,’ Montgomery told the panel.”
(My comment: In 2010, a majority of the members of the Colorado General Assembly demonstrated that they placed little value on their oaths of office or on the Colorado Constitution. Their honor and morality was sold on the cheap for political expediency.)
“There also have been doubts that Cullerton would allow a Senate vote on the House plan, which would string supporters out on a roll call that labor unions have fought bitterly against because it would freeze cost-of-living increases for state retirees for six years, among other things.”
“Under the 175-page House bill, known as Senate Bill 1673, cost-of-living increases would be frozen for six years and disallowed for retirees until they reach 67.”
http://www.suntimes.com/174466…
From evanstonnow.com:
“Illinois Federation of Teachers’ chief Dan Montgomery accused lawmakers of ‘plunging ahead with an illegal plan that, from our point of view, violates your oath of office.'”
“Illinois AFSCME boss Henry Bayer told lawmakers they are trying to take away what has been ‘earned and is owed’ to public employees.”
“Illinois’ largest public employee unions – the Illinois Federation of Teachers, the Illinois Education Association, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees and the Service Employees International Union – are warning lawmakers that any reform to which the unions do not agree would be met with a lawsuit. Illinois’ constitution specifically protects public pensions.”
“Instead of benefit reductions, the unions want lawmakers to raise taxes on corporations to pay for Illinois’ $93 billion to $130 billion pension gap.”
“‘We don’t have a benefit problem,’ said Cinda Klickna of the IEA. ‘We have a revenue problem.'”
“Illinois’ pension woes go back years and can be partially blamed on lawmakers and governors who did not make the state’s full pension payment.”
(My comment: As we know, the Colorado General
Assembly has skipped $4.3 billion in annual required pension contributions in just the last decade.)
http://evanstonnow.com/story/g…
From Pensions and Investments:
“Representatives of organized labor testified against the proposal. ‘It’s a desperate Hail Mary pass,’ said Michael Carrigan, president of Illinois AFL-CIO, which represents almost 900,000 union members in the state, according to its website.”
http://www.pionline.com/articl…
From We Are One Illinois and the Illinois Federation of Teachers:
“Leaders of the We Are One Illinois coalition released studies today to shed light on the devastating, unfair, and unconstitutional pension cuts in the “Quinn plan” (embodied in HB 1447) and to detail the group’s recommendations to address Illinois’ fiscal dilemma.
Among the key findings of the coalition’s analysis on pension benefit cuts:
– Employees who ‘choose’ the diminished cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) under the Quinn plan would forfeit one-third of their inflation-adjusted purchasing power over the first twenty years of their retirement.
– Because, by design, the diminished COLA is sure to lag inflation, income replacement rates in retirement would fall to 40% to 60% of final pay after twenty years of retirement under the Quinn plan. (Experts recommend income replacement rates of 85% to maintain living standards.)
– When compared to Social Security’s fully inflation-indexed system, the Quinn plan’s COLA would leave retirees with a monthly check that is 25% less than an annuity adjusted according to Social Security.
The second study presents the coalition’s way forward to address the state’s fiscal issues, which includes shared sacrifice from public employees. The framework recommendations would:
– codify an ironclad guarantee that compels the state to make actuarially-sound pension payments
– with a guarantee in place, ask employees to gradually pay 2% more of their salaries into their pensions
– close approximately $2 billion in corporate tax loopholes to provide revenue to support critical services and operations, so that the state stops borrowing from its pension systems to pay its operating expenses
http://www.ift-aft.org/news/pr…
From the Illinois Federation of Teachers:
– OPPOSE SB 1673 and any legislation that would cut the retirement benefits the state promised to current and future public employee retirees.
– WORK WITH unions in the We Are One Illinois coalition to find a fair and constitutional solution.
– SUPPORT revenue-generating solutions to the pension crisis like those recommended by the coalition, not cuts that would hurt dedicated public servants who have paid their fair share into the systems.
– OPPOSE all attempts to rush through unconstitutional, unfair legislation without following the appropriate, democratic process.
http://www.ift-
aft.org/legislative/legislativeupdate/13-01-08/Lawmakers_%e2%80%9cPunt%e2%80%9d_Once_Again_on_Pensions.aspx
“Do I really need to spell this out for you?” is traditionally a rhetorical question.
But, when the subject at hand is American Muslims’ votes, the GOP consistently answers, “Yes.” Whether Republicans are inviting internationally infamous Islamophobes to speak at the Western Conservative Summit, or turning a deaf ear when voters reject Islamophobic GOP incumbents, they simply don’t seem to see any reason to mend fences or bury hatchets. In 2012, 85% of Muslim votes went to President Obama, a statistic Republican commentators prefer to use in their attacks on the President, rather than as the wake-up call it should be to their party.
A coalition of American Muslim organizations has formed to send a message directly to the GOP, starting with a full-page ad in the conservative Washington Times, spelling it out for Republicans.
According to the Council on American Islamic Relations (in a press release received by email):
That open letter to the GOP states in part:
“We are writing to offer an open invitation to reassess your party’s current relationship with American Muslims. As with other demographics, American Muslim support for Republicans has dropped precipitously in recent years. This shift away from the GOP is not set in stone, but its future direction is dependent on choices your party makes.”
In other words: Put Islamophobes in the corner, or face a future where Muslims are permanently stationed outside your “big tent,” voting consistently for Democrats.
Sitting directly under Denver’s de-Brucing measure on this year’s ballot are Denver Public Schools’ referred measures 3A and 3B. The mill levy and bond, respectively, have stirred some ire among the regular cast of DPS critics, although a diverse coalition of, well, more legitimate education groups ranging from the Denver Classroom Teachers’ Association to Stand for Children have all come out in favor of both measures.
Denver voters approved a similar measure in 2008 by a 2-1 margin, although the effects of the so-called “Great Recession” had not been as intimately felt four years ago as they are today. As a result of the economic downturn, some say that citizens are unwilling to pay additional property taxes or add to the district’s debt levels — empty arguments in reliably liberal and traditionally pro-public school Denver precincts.
Do you think that referred measures 3A and 3B will pass this year? A poll follow.
Remember, we want to know whether or not you think the measures will pass or fail, not your opinion on them.
That is, unless you live in Jefferson County.
From CBS4:
JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4)- The woman named “Democrat of The Year” this year by the Jefferson County Democratic Party has been convicted of felony theft by a Jefferson County jury for stealing from a developmentally disabled 71-year-old woman.
It’s standard practice, of course, for political parties to award “people of the year” honors to volunteers who have given time to the party. It makes volunteers feel appreciated and, better yet, the party can fundraise by selling tickets to awards dinners.
There’s never any reason for the parties handing out these awards to suspect one of their volunteers is involved in something shady, either. Honoring someone with a cheap plaque and some second-rate spaghetti doesn’t warrant a criminal background check. If criminal allegations — or any other unsavory pieces of information — come out after someone is named an “x of the year” the best course of action is to probably cut off all ties and, perhaps, revoke the award. There’s not much more you could do.
It’s a totally different story, however, to give an award to someone after you know they’re under criminal investigation. Unfortunately, in the case of this “Democrat of the Year,” that’s a lesson the Jefferson County Democratic Party has to learn the hard way.
More from CBS:
[T]hree days before the January 8 gala, advocates for the victim contacted the party via email and phone informing them of the criminal investigation.
But Chris Kennedy, chairman of the Jefferson County Democratic party, dismissed the concerns saying there was not a conviction and bestowed the “Democrat Of The Year” honor on Carson.
In an email following the event, Kennedy wrote, “After much consideration, my decision was that the award being presented by my organization and the alleged financial exploitation need to be compartmentalized, one having no bearing on the other. Thus I decided to present the award to Estelle.”
Seriously? The “alleged financial exploitation” needs to be compartmentalized? This is an award for “Democrat of the Year.” As much as the title is a commonplace honorific, the award itself is a bold declaration that its recipient is one of the party’s all-around most valuable members. If someone is accused of a crime, there’s no question that lessens the value of their profile and contributions as a Democrat.
Kennedy defended his decision to CBS by saying that the woman in question had been “accused, not convicted” and that he “did not have reason to believe it was true.” That shouldn’t have mattered. As the county’s Democratic chair, Kennedy has the responsibility to earn his party the best possible optics and, more importantly, to make sure it avoids embarrassing stories like these. That there was even an investigation was cause to cancel the presentation of the award — in case things turned out exactly like they did here.
Had Kennedy resisted presenting the award, the volunteer-in-question’s feelings would’ve been hurt and others, perhaps, would’ve been offended. But, had she been exonerated, the award could’ve been given at a later date. Instead, the Jefferson County Democratic Party is now plagued by headlines directly showcasing its official approval of a someone who stole from a developmentally disabled septuagenerian.
This is a major lapse in judgement at best and incompetence at worst.
That is, unless you live in Jefferson County.
From CBS4:
JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4)- The woman named “Democrat of The Year” this year by the Jefferson County Democratic Party has been convicted of felony theft by a Jefferson County jury for stealing from a developmentally disabled 71-year-old woman.
It’s standard practice, of course, for political parties to award “people of the year” honors to members who have given time or money. It makes volunteers feel appreciated and, better yet, the party can fundraise by selling tickets to awards dinners.
There’s never any reason for the parties handing out these awards to suspect one of their volunteers is involved in something shady, either. Honoring someone with a cheap plaque and some second-rate spaghetti doesn’t warrant a criminal background check. If criminal allegations — or any other unsavory pieces of information — come out after someone is named an “x of the year,” the best course of action is cut off all ties and, perhaps, revoke the award. There’s not much more you can do.
It’s a totally different story, however, to give an award to someone after you know they’re under criminal investigation. Unfortunately, in the case of this “Democrat of the Year,” that’s a lesson the Jefferson County Democratic Party has to learn the hard way.
More from CBS:
[T]hree days before the January 8 gala, advocates for the victim contacted the party via email and phone informing them of the criminal investigation.
But Chris Kennedy, chairman of the Jefferson County Democratic party, dismissed the concerns saying there was not a conviction and bestowed the “Democrat Of The Year” honor on Carson.
In an email following the event, Kennedy wrote, “After much consideration, my decision was that the award being presented by my organization and the alleged financial exploitation need to be compartmentalized, one having no bearing on the other. Thus I decided to present the award…”
Seriously? The “alleged financial exploitation” needs to be compartmentalized? This is an award for “Democrat of the Year.” As much as the title is a commonplace honorific, the award itself is a bold declaration that its recipient is one of the party’s all-around most valuable members. Being accused of a crime lessens the value of a person’s profile and contributions as a Democrat. Unless, of course, you’re trying to send the message that your organization welcomes and even celebrates those who steal from the elderly.
Kennedy defended his decision to CBS by saying that the woman in question had been “accused, not convicted” and that he “did not have reason to believe it was true.” That shouldn’t have mattered. As the county’s Democratic chair, Kennedy has a responsibility to earn his party the best possible optics and, more importantly, to make sure it avoids embarrassing stories like these. That there was even an investigation was cause to cancel the presentation of the award — just in case that investigation led to a conviction, as it did here.
Why Kennedy failed to realize the potential implications of offering this award to someone accused of a crime is perplexing. Perhaps he didn’t want to upset a loyal volunteer or hurt anybody’s feelings. Still, hurt feelings can’t justify the mess he’s created as a result. Kennedy should’ve canceled the presentation of this award the very second he was informed of the criminal charges. Sure, he might’ve stepped on some toes, but the honors could’ve been offered anew if the volunteer in question was exonerated.
Because Kennedy didn’t think this through, however, the Jefferson County Democratic Party is now plagued by headlines showcasing its official approval of a someone who stole from a developmentally disabled septuagenerian.
This is a serious lapse in judgement at best and incompetence at worst.
The Declaration of Independence of the United States from England said that the people has the right change government if that government became “destructive” to the freedoms and liberties of the people. Simply stated, the people have the right to self govern through a government that is of the people, for the people and by […]
( – promoted by Colorado Pols) Obviously, the key news from today’s personhood press conference was that personhood supporters turned in 112,121 signatures to Colorado’s Secretary of State, hoping to get their measure on the November ballot. But the political ramifications of the personhood amendment should continue to be a key part of the coverage. […]
(Interesting first-hand information on assault weapons and access to ammunition – promoted by Colorado Pols) My AR-15 is not at all what a typical AR-15 looks like, what you have seen photos of. BTW, AR does not stand for assault rifle. It was developed by Armalite. What makes my AR different is that it has […]
The multimillionaire Republican presidential candidate has battled to control the narrative of his time running Bain Capital, the private equity juggernaut he led until 1999 or, as it turns out, probably later. Bain invested in some companies to make money by saving them. It invested in others to make money by shuttering them. Romney says […]
( – promoted by Colorado Pols) Obama Administration Regional Director in Health and Human Services, Marguerite Salazar, was in Denver Monday to discuss the Affordable Care Act (ACA, or “Obamacare”) and what it means for people living in Colorado. Hosted by Senator Mark Udall, she held a press conference with the Colorado Consumer Health Initiative’s […]
( – promoted by Colorado Pols) The Associated Press distributed a good article, which was picked up widely today, about Hispanic voters, pointing out that “there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to courting the nation’s fastest-growing minority group.” Hispanics back Obama (65%) over Romney (25%), but, reflecting their varied views on some issues, most are independent (46% […]
(Mike Rosen: from respected pundit to cheap carnival barker – promoted by Colorado Pols) Just when you thought birthers were running away from their inner birtherness, a new birther jumps out of the closet on the op-ed pages of The Denver Post today. That would be the ever-rational Mike Rosen, of the Mike Rosen Show […]
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