Politics
Colorado Congress members want review of drug bill that cost Tom Marino ‘drug czar’ nomination
DENVER – Some of Colorado’s federal lawmakers say they are reviewing the ramifications of a 2016 law, of which two of the state’s congressmen cosponsored early versions, that some say has handcuffed the Drug Enforcement Administration in its fight against drug companies—something that was uncovered in a joint Washington Post-60 Minutes investigation published last week.
The two Republican members of Congress – Rep. Mike Coffman and Sen. Cory Gardner, who was in the House of Representatives when he cosponsored the bills – did not, however, put their names on the bill that contained the final language now being blamed by some for neutering the DEA’s diversion program, which aims to stop the flow of pharmaceuticals and scheduled drugs to non-official sources.
And they and other members of Congress from Colorado, who were present when the bill passed both the Senate and House unanimously, say the law may have created “unintended consequences” for the DEA’s power over the opioid manufacturers that might need to be fixed.
Several legislators have endorsed new bills that would reverse the language written into the law, but those from Colorado have yet to sign on, saying they are reviewing the matter. Continue reading
Colorado State Sen. Vicki Marble blames media, mom of Cub Scout for story hoopla in Post op-ed
DENVER – In a new editorial published Tuesday in the Denver Post, the Colorado state senator whose exchange with a Broomfield Cub Scout led to national headlines about the boy being kicked out of his den blamed the press and the Scout’s mother for causing the hoopla surrounding the incident.
State. Sen. Vicki Marble, R-Fort Collins, said she didn’t blame the boy, 11-year-old Ames Mayfield, for asking her the questions about her 2013 comments about African-Americans, saying, “I believe there was an element of manipulation involved.” Continue reading
Election 2017: Colorado ballots mailed out, should be mailed back by Oct. 31 to ensure delivery
DENVER – It’s election season again in Colorado, and though this year’s election won’t feature any statewide ballot measures or major congressional races, we’re already nearing the final couple weeks of voting.
Ballots were mailed out in Denver last week, as well as in many other larger counties across the state.
View a Denver sample ballot by clicking here.
As of Monday, more than 36,000 people had already returned their ballots, according to the Secretary of State’s Office. The office and U.S. Postal Service are asking anyone who will be mailing their ballot back to their county clerk to do so by Oct. 31.
Overseas and military ballots had to be sent out by Sept. 23.
Colorado Republicans have so far returned the greatest share of those ballots: 14,913. Democrats have returned 11,633 ballots and unaffiliated voters have mailed back 9,383 as of Monday.
As of Oct. 1, there were a total of 3.36 million active registered voters in Colorado. More than 1.2 million were unaffiliated, while approximately 1.04 million were registered as Republicans, and another 1.04 million were registered as Democrats.
Six counties won’t have an election this year – Cheyenne, Dolores, Grand Hinsdale, Mineral and Washington counties – and people in those counties won’t be receiving ballots, as there are no contested races or local bond measures on which to vote.
There will also be no statewide ballot issues this year for the first time since 2009, as odd years are usually used to send TABOR matters to voters.
In Denver, voters will be deciding on four Denver Public Schools directors, an initiative that would force new large buildings to install green rooves (which the mayor opposes), and a $937 million general obligation bond package that centers on transportation and mobility.
Those measures include:
- $431 for transportation and mobility projects
- $116.9 million for city-owned cultural facility improvements
- $75 million for a new outpatient center at Denver Health Medical Center
- $77 million for safety facility projects
- $69.3 million for Denver Public Library improvements
- $151.6 million for parks and recreation
- $16.5 million for city-owned facility improvements
Beyond the Denver Health and Denver Public Library projects, some of the largest proposals on the list include $101 million for deferred road maintenance – repaving, curb and gutter repair, bridge rehabilitation, etc. — $55 million for a bus rapid transit system along Colfax Avenue, $37.5 million for a recreation center in Westwood and $35.5 million to renovate the North Building at the Denver Art Museum.
Douglas County voters will decide on a new school board that is drawing in large amounts of cash from out-of-state because of the district’s voucher program.
Races for the Boulder Valley School District and Boulder City Council are expected to be tight, as an affordable housing measure has brought out significant campaigning from those involved.
In Denver, the Elections Division Voter Service and Polling Center opens Monday, while all polling centers open next Monday, Oct. 30.
The city also has 26 ballot drop-boxes that are open 24 hours a day. Find those and polling centers on a map by clicking here.
If you’re mailing your ballot back in Denver, you can sign up for Ballot Trace to be sure your ballot makes it back to your county clerk in time to be counted.
Colorado voters can register online and at polling centers any day, even on Election Day. You can do so by clicking here. But if you register online or update your registration, you might not get a ballot mailed to you and could have to vote in person.
If you’re mailing your ballot back, it must be in the hands of your county clerk by 7 p.m. on Election Day, which is set for Nov. 7.
You’re advised to have it in the mail before Oct. 31 to ensure it arrives on time.
‘Underwear Bomber’ sues over alleged mistreatment, force-feedings at Colorado ADX supermax prison
DENVER – The Nigerian man known as the “Underwear Bomber” sued the Federal Bureau of Prisons and Attorney General Jeff Sessions Wednesday in federal court in Denver, alleging his constitutional rights are being violated at the ADX supermax prison in Florence, Colorado.
The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court of Colorado, alleges that Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab has been forced into solitary confinement for an undetermined amount of time, that he’s been chastised by other prisoners and guards for being Muslim, and that he’s been force-fed non-halal food when he went on hunger strikes to protest his alleged mistreatment. Continue reading
Sen. Michael Bennet calls for government accountability office to probe Trump voter fraud commission
DENVER – U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet is doubling down on President Trump’s election integrity commission, and is now calling for the U.S. Government Accountability Office to probe the panel.
Bennet, a Colorado Democrat, along with Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., and Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., sent a letter to the GAO Wednesday requesting the investigation while questioning the motives of the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity. Continue reading
Ticket prices for Pence speech in Denver lowered after sluggish sales
DENVER – Tickets to see Vice President Mike Pence speak in Denver later this month are cheaper than they were a week ago, as the state Republican party has had trouble filling the room.
The Colorado Republican Party’s chairman, Jeff Hays, sent out an email Wednesday morning that said, “Due to popular demand, we have made more tickets available at a lower price.” Further down in the email, an RSVP notification says RSVPs are required by Oct. 24 “due to limited space.” Continue reading
Michael Bennet pitches public option as bipartisan senators say they have deal to fund ACA subsidies
DENVER – U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet on Tuesday pitched a public option health care measure as a bipartisan panel of senators he’s been part of announced it had reached a deal to fund insurer subsidies under the Affordable Care Act that President Trump has stopped paying for the time being.
Bennet had scheduled an informational call for Colorado journalists regarding his and Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia’s “Medicare-X” measure, but the deal reached by Sens. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., and Patty Murray, D-Wash., took precedent on the call. Continue reading
Democrats out-raise Republicans in quarterly fundraising for 2018 Colorado governor’s race
DENVER – Democratic candidates for Colorado’s governorship in 2018 far out-raised most Republican candidates in the third quarter of 2017 fundraising, though two political action committees are making splashes in the race already as individual fundraising tops $7.3 million.
All five Democratic candidates out-raised their Republican counterparts this quarter, which covers the period between July 1 and Sept. 30. Continue reading
New 2018 House model shows pickups for Democrats, a possible challenge for Mike Coffman
DENVER – New modeling for 2018 shows Democrats have a better chance than they did in recent weeks of picking up some seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, and that there might be a chance a Democrat knocks off Republican Mike Coffman in Colorado’s 6th Congressional District.
Decision Desk HQ put out a new model Monday for the 2018 House midterms, which forecasts that Democrats will end up with 208 seats in the House, up from 194 currently in the House.
Most of its forecasts for Colorado aren’t much of a surprise, as incumbents are expected to remain in their seats, lest they be ousted in a primary by a challenger from their own party.
But the 6th Congressional District, which Coffman is currently representing for the sixth time, might be in play, according to the models.
They show that Democrats have a 60.7 percent win probability in the district and that Democrats will take 52 percent of the vote.
That would in theory bode well for the Democrats in the field, which currently include Jason Crow, Levi Tillemann and David Aarestad, who are trying to unseat the Republican Coffman in a district that Hillary Clinton drew 55 percent of the vote in last year.
But the district was also considered as being “in play” for Democrats last year, when Coffman defeated Democratic challenger Morgan Carroll 50.9 percent to 42.6 percent.
Some conservatives scoffed at the idea that Coffman might be an early underdog Monday, seeing as how Coffman hasn’t been seriously-challenged since 2012, when he narrowly defeated Joe Miklosi.
“[Democrats] should sue Decision Desk HQ & others for tricking them into spending so much [money] in #CO06 every cycle,” said Americans For Prosperity Senior Director of Issue Education Michael Fields.
But the 6th was the only 2018 Colorado district Decision Desk said was moderately in play in Monday’s release.
According to their analysis, Rep. Diana DeGette (D) has a 100 percent chance of winning re-election; a Democrat is 98.5 percent-likely to win the 2nd district that Jared Polis currently holds; and Republicans have a 73.5-percent chance to win the 3rd district where Scott Tipton is trying to get re-elected.
Republicans have a 94.2 percent chance to hold Rep. Ken Buck’s 4th district seat, and a slightly-better chance of holding the 5th Congressional District that Doug Lamborn currently represents.
Rep. Ed Perlmutter has a 93-percent chance of holding onto Colorado’s 7th Congressional District, according to Decision Desk.
The new forecasts come on the last day that candidates have to report their quarterly earnings to the Federal Election Commission. The filings are due by the end of the day, and the subsequent reports should provide more insight into who is challenging whom in the various districts ahead of next spring’s primaries and caucuses.
Sen. Michael Bennet to unveil public option health plan aimed at rural areas this week: ‘Medicare-X’
DENVER – U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet will unveil legislation this week to bring a public option to the federal health care system that is seen as a middle point between those pushing for a single-payer system and possibly some Republicans who are on the fence about repealing and replacing the law altogether.
Bennet and Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., first unveiled the plan Monday in a Washington Post story, and are expected to further elaborate upon the plan on Tuesday afternoon. Continue reading