VOL. 01 NO. 205 | DECEMBER 14, 2016 | COLORADOSTATESMAN.COM/THE-HOT-SHEET | © 2016

DENVER – Somewhere in between the holiday parties and shopping, we hope you’re able to squeeze in a little bit more political speculation, because … ’tis the season. It appears (at least to us) that no political savvy gathering is complete without discussing (a polite word) how the president-elect is doing with his team building decisions and who (save us) might run for Colorado governor. Thankfully, we’ve included NEW media reporting on both topics. Lucky you.

Without a doubt, the most reported story of the last 24 hours in Colorado has been the legal wrangling (and losing) by the “faithless” Hamilton Electors … We will spare you the suspense, it comes down to – Vote for Hillary or face possible jail time.

Inmate 1:  “What are you in for?”

Inmate 2:  “I didn’t vote for Hillary Clinton.”

HA!

The First Shot

“If (presidential electors) take the oath and then they violate the statute, there will be repercussions.”

– Denver District Judge Elizabeth Starrs (A name you may remember from earlier this year with the Jon Keyser scandals and U.S. Senate petition suits)

Vote for Hillary or … well,  go to jail

Alexander Hamilton took another blow Tuesday (poor guy) … or at least the two “faithless” Colorado electors who have taken the former president’s name for their movement did.

In her ruling Tuesday, Denver District Judge Elizabeth Starrs said that Colorado presidential electors who do not vote for Hillary Clinton – as the winner of the state’s vote – risk criminal charges. Fine? Jail? A weekend with Bill and Hillary? Ouch …

The judge declined to outline the possible penalties – according to the reporting of the Denver Post – but said she believes state law allows electors who take the oath as a public official to face criminal charges. Public officers charged with failing to fulfill their duty, a misdemeanor, can receive up to a $1,000 fine and one year in jail. Yikes!

So what will the two rogue electors do? “As someone once said, we are going to keep you in suspense,” said their attorney Jesse Witt … quoting Trump. Awwwww, a funny lawyer. Exactly what everybody wants, a court jester …

Trading  Obamacare  for  Trump-icaid

As President Barack Obama begins boxing up his personal Oval Office mementos and Donald Trump measures for drapes, many Republican (and Democrat) number-crunchers are analyzing which of the ‘day one promises’ will be kept by the nation’s 45th president. High on that watch list is whether the president-elect will “repeal this terrible legislation,” referring to the Affordable Care Act.

But how easy will it be to trade Obamacare for the so called (Thank you ColoradoPolitics.com) … ‘Trump-icaide?’

Reporter Joey Bunch over at ColoradoPolitics.com draws a clear picture of how an immediate repeal would impact the nation and Coloradans. According to the Center on Budget Policy and Priorities – by way of Bunch – the number of uninsured Coloradans would jump by 588,000 people. In other words, roughly the population of Jefferson County.

That YUUUUUGE number is enough to make you sick! (Sorry, couldn’t resist).

State Attorneys General go hunting

Colorado Attorney General Cynthia H. Coffman is one of 17 state AG’s taking the feds to court over the Endangered Species Act. With the president-elect likely to dismantle many of Obama’s implemented policies, it’s possible that the lawsuit could only be a warning shot. Either way, the language within the legal filings points out the shameless overreach by the current administration:

“The Services could declare desert land as critical habitat for a fish and then prevent the construction of a highway through those desert lands, under the theory that it would prevent the future formation of a stream that might one day support the species.”

Many of the state’s Republican top attorneys have been waiting out the judicial clock until President Obama leaves office. Still in a circle pattern above our courts are the Clean Power Plan and the Waters of the United States. Both policies are believed by the right to be overreaches by the current president and … items that couch-analysts speculate will be shown the door by President Donald Trump. Read more: Colorado Peak Politics and ColoradoPolitics.com.

Colorado hits the jackpot

Every good gambler (if there is such a thing) knows you can’t beat the house. Possibly the biggest Colorado lottery winner in 2016 was Colorado. Thanks to some big jackpots this year – who remembers the $1.5 BILLION jackpot back in January? – the state is walking away with $60 million.

According to the Gazette and Denver Post – officials say the $60 million distributed so far in 2016 marks the largest amount distributed in at least five years. It also tops last year’s amount by nearly $10 million. According to the number-crunchers (again), this year’s conservation funds went to 476 counties, cities, towns and special districts.

Tell the truth … How much of that amount did you drop into the kitty?

Who’s thinking of running for governor today?

In the “Who’s considering a run for governor” board game … you can add yet another name to the list. According to Chalkbeat, state Sen. Michael Merrifield is pondering a move down the hall to the governor’s office.

From Colorado Springs, Merrifield saying he believes he can rally the growing progressive wing of the Democratic Party in Colorado that supported U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders during the presidential primaries.

Just yesterday, outgoing Sen. Michael Johnston (D) also ran the idea up the flagpole hoping someone might salute. Johnston, 42, and has a large national footprint in left-leaning progressive education reform.

Others who have been mentioned as potential Democratic candidates for Colorado guv are former U.S. Sen. and Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter and former State Treasurer Cary Kennedy.

Just for Laughs

Calendar

12/15             Colorado Hispanic Republicans Meet n Greet

                     ACDP Executive Board Regular Meeting

12/16             CRBA Monthly Meeting

12/19            ACDP Executive Board Regular Meeting

1/19               ACDP Executive Board Regular Meeting

Today in History

2012 – Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting: Twenty-eight people, including the gunman, are killed in Sandy Hook, Connecticut.

1972 – Apollo program: Eugene Cernan is the last person to walk on the moon, after he and Harrison Schmitt complete the third and final extravehicular activity (EVA) of the Apollo 17 mission.

1964 – American Civil Rights Movement: Heart of Atlanta Motel v. United States: The Supreme Court of the United States rules that Congress can use the Constitution’s Commerce Clause to fight discrimination.

1962 – NASA’s Mariner 2 becomes the first spacecraft to fly by Venus.

1903 – The Wright brothers make their first attempt to fly with the Wright Flyer at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.

1902 – The Commercial Pacific Cable Company lays the first Pacific telegraph cable, from San Francisco to Honolulu.

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