Rocky Mountain Voice

Tag: Colorado Politics

Castle Pines Growth Spurs Redistricting and Campaign Finance Changes
Colorado Politics, Approved, Local

Castle Pines Growth Spurs Redistricting and Campaign Finance Changes

By Nicholas Fogleman | Colorado Politics Castle Pines officials are moving forward with proposed changes to the city’s election system that would make it easier for candidates to raise money and reshape district boundaries to accommodate rapid growth.  During a City Council meeting Tuesday, the council discussed redistricting municipal voter districts and approved the first reading of an ordinance that would increase campaign contribution limits for local races. As a home-rule municipality, has the authority to establish its own campaign finance rules. The council approved a proposal on first reading to raise the limit on contributions to candidate committees to $2,000, matching limits in Greenwood Village and Lone Tree. Under curre...
Michael Allen Calls for Colorado First Approach to Attorney General’s Office
The Denver Gazette, Approved, State

Michael Allen Calls for Colorado First Approach to Attorney General’s Office

By Thelma Grimes | The Denver Gazette Republican argues Colorado officials have been too focused fighting Trump. Michael Allen said his campaign for Colorado attorney general is rooted in a simple premise: the state’s top lawyer should focus on Colorado, regardless of who occupies the White House. The Republican candidate, a Colorado native and the elected district attorney for the 4th Judicial District, is vying for the position against Democrat Jena Griswold, the state’s current secretary of state. During the primary, Griswold has repeatedly told voters that she will focus on fighting the Trump administration as attorney general. That messaging permeates her campaign against Allen. Allen, who grew up in Thornton and Arvada and...
Poll Shows Evans And Rutinel Locked In Tight Race For Colorado’s 8th District
The Colorado Sun, Approved, State

Poll Shows Evans And Rutinel Locked In Tight Race For Colorado’s 8th District

By Jesse Paul | The Colorado Sun The poll was conducted by a Republican firm on behalf of a conservative political nonprofit that doesn’t reveal its donors and is backing Evans, the district’s Republican incumbent. The race between Republican U.S. Rep. Gabe Evans and his Democratic challenger, former state Rep. Manny Rutinel, is essentially tied with just a few weeks before voters in Colorado’s toss-up 8th Congressional District start receiving ballots, according to a recent poll. The poll was conducted by a Republican firm — McLaughlin and Associates — on behalf of Enhancing American Competitiveness, a conservative political nonprofit that doesn’t reveal its donors and is backing Evans. The poll was conducted on Sept. 16 and 17 among 400 likely 8th ...
Colorado Supreme Court Rejects Peters Bid to Overturn Convictions
KREX, Approved, State

Colorado Supreme Court Rejects Peters Bid to Overturn Convictions

By Andrew Kiser | KREX MESA COUNTY, Colo. (KREX) – The Colorado Supreme Court has declined to hear an appeal from former Mesa County Clerk and Recorder Tina Peters regarding her conviction on charges related to election tampering. Peters was originally sentenced to roughly nine years in prison for her role in allowing unauthorized access to voting equipment. Authorities said she allowed access while attempting to demonstrate unproven claims of corruption in voting systems. READ THE FULL ARTICLE AT KREX
Denver Voters Face Xcel Decision but 3% Utility Fee May Remain Either Way
Colorado Politics, Approved, Local

Denver Voters Face Xcel Decision but 3% Utility Fee May Remain Either Way

By Nico Brambila | Colorado Politics Xcel Energy’s slogan makes this promise: “Our energy. Your power.” Denver voters will have the power in November when they decide whether to approve a new 20-year franchise agreement with the utility. But even if they say no, they will continue paying the 3% franchise fee on their electric and natural gas bills. The reason? A provision on page 22 of Denver’s existing 20-year agreement with Xcel says that, if the franchise is not renewed, the utility must continue paying the city an amount equal to the franchise fee as long as Xcel continues using Denver’s public rights-of-way to provide service. The agreement expires Dec. 31. Colorado law requires the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to order utilities to recover muni...
Boebert Forcefully Denies Allegations of Improper Relationships With Staffers
Daily Wire, Approved, National

Boebert Forcefully Denies Allegations of Improper Relationships With Staffers

By Thomas English | The Daily Wire "I have never, ever been in any inappropriate relationship, nor have I ever been sexually involved with any staff." Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) on Saturday denied a sworn ethics complaint accusing her of sexual relationships with three congressional aides, conduct that would breach House rules if substantiated. “Well, I’m not a lesbian or bisexual, and I have never, ever been in any inappropriate relationship, nor have I ever been sexually involved with any staff,” Boebert told Sources Say News. David Wheeler, head of American Muckrakers, a political action committee that has pursued Boebert for years, filed the complaint with the House Ethics Committee on Thursday. Its central claim involves Clarice Navarro ...
Colorado Redistricting Measure Attracts $250K From National GOP PAC
The Colorado Sun, Approved, State

Colorado Redistricting Measure Attracts $250K From National GOP PAC

By Jesse Paul | The Colorado Sun Dark money groups are financially backing Amendment 86, which aims to make it harder to redraw congressional districts outside of the normal census-driven process. A federal political action committee created by U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson is bankrolling a Colorado ballot measure this year that would make it more difficult to redraw the boundaries of the state’s congressional districts outside of the process already laid out in the state constitution. The American Revival PAC gave $250,000 in August to the Fair Redistricting Colorado issue committee, which is working to pass Amendment 86 in November. The leadership PAC was created by Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, in 2017. It’s funded by other political action commi...
Colorado Lawmaker Alleges Secret Proceedings Denied Her Due Process Rights
Colorado Politics, Approved, State

Colorado Lawmaker Alleges Secret Proceedings Denied Her Due Process Rights

By Deborah Grigsby | Colorado Politics State Rep. Brandi Bradley has sued a workplace harassment panel, alleging its proceedings against her were retaliatory and that the panel exceeded its authority in finding violations and recommending sanctions against her. The lawsuit, filed Sept. 17 in Denver District Court, names the House Workplace Harassment Committee as a governmental body as the sole defendant. The panel is comprised of Reps. Jennifer Bacon, Matt Soper, Mary Bradfield, Matthew Martinez, Chris Richardson and Rebekah Stewart. Bradley is seeking an injunction and judicial review of the committee’s actions, alleging she may have been punished for protected legislative speech and that the committee violated the Open Meetings Law because its deliberation...
Pueblo Takes Center Stage in Battle for Colorado Senate Control
The Denver Gazette, Approved, State

Pueblo Takes Center Stage in Battle for Colorado Senate Control

By Marianne Goodland | The Denver Gazette Of the roughly two dozen state Senate seats up for election this year, one race in Southern Colorado is drawing particular attention. The outcome of this race could decide the contours of power at the state Capitol, with ramifications for what major policies get adopted next year. Just as importantly, this area called the “last purple” district in Colorado offers an interesting inflection point for a state that has become considerably bluer in each election cycle. Indeed, Pueblo presents a kind of political enigma — a union town that has voted for Pesident Donald Trump at the same time it had sent Democrats to the state Capitol. Mix in a fire that has devastated parts of the district, the debate over energ...
New Uses for Pueblo Half Cent Tax Prompt Debate Over Voter Intent
Uncategorized, Approved, Commentary, Complete Colorado, Local

New Uses for Pueblo Half Cent Tax Prompt Debate Over Voter Intent

By Nicki Hart | Commentary, Complete Colorado Pueblo offers a cautionary tale for communities across Colorado being asked to extend, renew, or continue a dedicated tax. When voters approve a tax for one purpose, how much can the government redefine that purpose before it must return to the people for permission? That debate is unfolding in Pueblo over the city’s Half-Cent Sales Tax Fund, a voter-approved revenue source that has existed for more than four decades. The fund originated in 1984 following the collapse of Pueblo’s steel economy. In 1992, voters fundamentally reshaped the program around a more specific economic promise that public funds would support capital improvements that create “primary jobs.” Primary jobs are those that bring new money into the local ec...