The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel: Holding office is a privilege, not a right
If we want to end sexual harassment in the state Capitol, we need to start with the sense of entitlement legislators bring to their jobs.
Right now the focus is on the process of investigating complaints against lawmakers. It’s a blind alley as recent events have proven. Two lawmakers facing similar allegations of sexual misconduct were the subjects of confidential, third-party investigations, as prescribed by legislative rules. Even though the allegations were deemed credible, the two investigations led to wildly different results.
Last month, Rep. Steve Lebsock’s colleagues in the Colorado House voted 52-9 to expel him. But on Monday, the state Senate failed to meet the two-thirds threshold to oust Republican Sen. Randy Baumgardner. It didn’t hurt that Senate leaders questioned the veracity of the findings in the Baumgardner report.
U.S. House probes reports of fraud, waste in Colorado’s Medicaid program
Marianne Goodland
marianne.goodland@coloradopolitics.com
Updated 7 hours ago
A congressional committee is probing reports of waste, fraud and abuse in Colorado’s Medicaid program, citing recent stories outlining over-billing in transportation spending and alleged improper payments in autism services. The U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce has sent...
Colorado’s congressional redistricting proposal could flip three Republican House seats | ANALYSIS
Michael Braithwaite
michael.braithwaite@gazette.com
Updated 11 hours ago
A Democrat-backed proposal to redraw Colorado’s congressional map for the 2028 election could flip three Republican districts. The proposal, introduced by a group called Coloradans for a Level Playing Field, is yet another development in a national redistricting debate after...
Appeals court overturns Douglas County vehicular homicide conviction due to faulty jury instructions
Michael Karlik
michael.karlik@coloradopolitics.com
Updated 16 hours ago
Colorado’s second-highest court overturned a defendant’s vehicular homicide conviction and 12-year prison sentence on Thursday after determining a Douglas County judge omitted key language from the jury instructions that could have resulted in a different outcome. James Paul McDonald was...
Colorado lawmakers’ speeches on immigration, Iran draw worries about decorum, grandstanding
Marianne Goodland
marianne.goodland@coloradopolitics.com
Updated 15 hours ago
Several speeches from Colorado legislators this week have raised new worries about decorum and grandstanding in the state House after two members talked about immigration and Iran using what’s called a “point of personal privilege.” Under the rules of the...
Trump fires Homeland Security Secretary Noem after building criticism over immigration enforcement
Michelle L. Price
michelle.l..price@associatedpress.com
Updated 16 hours ago
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Thursday fired his embattled Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and said he will nominate in her place Oklahoma Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin. Trump made the announcement on social media on Thursday, two days...
Trump wants to be personally ‘involved’ in picking next Iranian leader: Report
Christian Datoc, Washington Examiner
christian.datoc.washington.examiner@gazetteedit.wpenginepowered.com
Updated 17 hours ago
President Donald Trump told Axios Thursday that he wants to be personally involved with picking Iran‘s next leader, despite multiple senior administration officials repeatedly declaring that “regime change” is not a stated objective of Operation Epic Fury. Trump conducted an...
Iran widens regional war with first strike into Azerbaijan
Brady Knox, Washington Examiner
brady.knox.washington.examiner@gazetteedit.wpenginepowered.com
Updated 17 hours ago
Iran spread the growing regional war to the Caucasus with its first drone strike into Azerbaijan, hitting an airport terminal and damaging a nearby school. A video recorded by someone at Nakhchivan International Airport showed one of the drones exploding...
Rand Paul excoriates Congress for failure to pass War Powers Resolution: ‘Should be ashamed’
Claire Carter, Washington Examiner
claire.carter.washington.examiner@gazetteedit.wpenginepowered.com
Updated 17 hours ago
Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) blasted his colleagues for failing to pass a resolution aimed at limiting President Donald Trump’s military campaign in Iran. The Kentucky Republican made the remarks in an opinion column published on Fox News a day after...
DOJ quietly closes autopen investigation targeting Biden and aides
Kaelan Deese, Washington Examiner
kaelan.deese.washington.examiner@gazetteedit.wpenginepowered.com
Updated 17 hours ago
The Department of Justice has quietly closed an investigation into former President Joe Biden’s use of an autopen to sign official documents, according to a source familiar with the matter. DOJ pardon attorney Ed Martin, the former “weaponization” czar, opened...
Colorado legislators eye changes to credit card ‘swipe fees’
Marianne Goodland
marianne.goodland@coloradopolitics.com
Updated 16 hours ago
Colorado legislators are proposing to eliminate “swipe fees” on sales taxes, a move that proponents say would save businesses tens of thousands of dollars a year but which will likely revive counter-arguments that those fees help create a stable and...
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PCC, other 2-year colleges may offer 4-year nursing degrees
The shortage of nurses may be eased by a new state law authorizing two-year community colleges to offer four-year bachelor of science degrees in nursing. This includes Pueblo Community College, which supported House Bill 1086 before it passed the Colorado Legislature. Gov. John Hickenlooper let HB1086 become law despite his misgivings that it would allow […]
Report on Capitol's culture of sexual harassment finds few cases are reported
DENVER – About 28 percent of the people who work at the Colorado Capitol have witnessed workplace harassment, but only about 13 percent reported it. Of those, 72 percent were unhappy with the outcome, according to a workplace culture report made public Thursday morning. Seventy percent of female legislators reported seeing behavior they considered sexual harassment, […]