COPO BEST OF THE WEEK: Capitol ethics conundrum, gov. candidates’ tax tussle, Club 20 roundup
Here’s our recap of some of our best stories of the week from the Colorado Politics staff.
> COVER STORY | Colorado’s Independent Ethics Commission on uncertain course
> Polis fires back at GOP attack over income taxes, calls on Stapleton to release tax records
> TRAIL MIX | Keeping score on Coffman and Trump
> Polis, who invests in drug companies, vows to take on drug companies
> INSIGHTS | Cuffing reporter renders poor verdict on Denver
> Q&A with Sean Conway | ‘You truly can come home and make a difference’
> Club 20 debates kick off general election campaign season in Grand Junction
> Attorney general, congressional candidates debate at Club 20
> Stapleton takes Club 20 limelight alone in governor’s race
> Club 20 Friday night steak fry fetes those about to debate
> Coloradans may figure in Nancy Pelosi’s future
> Capitol M | Politics get messy, more attack ads
> Gardner: Colorado natural gas could buy diplomatic influence in Europe
> Candidates for governor clash on plans for rural Colorado
> New reports show impact of Trump’s trade war on solar, ag
> Kochs’ Americans for Prosperity to put money in Colo. races
> Republican PAC launches ad attacking Army vet Jason Crow for ‘turning his back on veterans’
> Rep. Coffman introduces bipartisan bill to reform high-skilled worker visa program
> Campaign finance reform group slams Coffman’s corporate contributions with $1 million ad buy
> Retailers are doing well but fear tariffs’ impact
> Gardner: Progress on BLM move, farm bill and ‘we won’t give up’ on LWCF
> DeGette advocates plan for wildfire pollution control
> Colorado’s drought set to be 4th worst on record
> US Olympic Committee board reorganization places 2 women at top
> Colorado GOP treasurer candidate proposes raising retirement age again for PERA
> Schwarzenegger endorses reform measures to ‘terminate gerrymandering’
>Former Colorado state Rep. Gwyn “Fighting Granny” Green has died
> McCain’s family upset he’s being ‘weaponized’ in GOP political ads
> Tipton bill to protect landowners near federal property wins first approval
We the people are no longer the government of Colorado | Jon Caldara
Jon Caldara
jon-caldara@coloradopolitics.com
Updated 3 days ago
We the people of Colorado no longer control our own state constitution. I found this out the hard way. In Colorado, a government for, by, and of the people is a fib. We lowly citizens no longer have much of...
Wyoming judge blocks law that bans all but earliest abortions | OUT WEST ROUNDUP
The Associated Press
the-associated-press@coloradopolitics.com
Updated 4 days ago
WYOMING Judge blocks broad abortion ban A Wyoming judge has blocked a new state law that bans abortions beyond the earliest stages of pregnancy while a lawsuit challenging the provision moves ahead. It’s the first court ruling affecting the legal...
Trump order aims to help more people get retirement savings plans in time for new federal match
Collin Binkley
collin.binkley@associatedpress.com
Updated 18 hours ago
WASHINGTON • President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday calling for a new government website where people in the United States can find and compare private-sector retirement savings accounts, aiming to help millions of workers whose employers do not offer such...
Dismissal sought in Michael Clark’s second trial
Jenny Deam
jenny-deam@coloradopolitics.com
Updated 1 day ago
The murder conviction of Michael Clark should be dismissed due to a 32-year delay that led to crucial evidence being lost or destroyed, a bungled police investigation and “outrageous conduct” at the state crime lab, according to defense motion filed...
The need for a governor to say “no” to his friends | SONDERMANN
By Eric Sondermann
by-eric-sondermann@coloradopolitics.com
Updated 3 days ago
A wise man once remarked that the real test of a governor is his willingness to turn down and reject the pleadings of political friends and allies. That gentleman knew something of what he spoke. He occupied the corner-office executive...
Gov. Lamm scolds own party over losing modernization battle against GOP | A LOOK BACK
Rachael Wright, Special to Colorado Politics
rachael.wright@coloradopolitics.com
Updated 4 days ago
Forty-Five Years Ago This Week: “The Democratic Party lost the battles of ideas and political technology last November,” Gov. Dick Lamm told the Boulder County Democratic Party at the annual Harry S. Truman Memorial Dinner. Lamm argued that the Democratic...
Colorado Politics Calendar May 4-10
Rachael Wright, Special to Colorado Politics
rachael.wright@coloradopolitics.com
Updated 4 days ago
CoPo’s weekly political calendar will help you find political and public-policy events throughout Colorado. It includes candidate and issue campaign events, public policy meetings, court hearings, state and local party conventions, assemblies, debates, rallies, parades, speaking engagements, traveling dignitary appearances,...
Colorado to get $75 million from opioid settlement with Purdue Pharma
Marissa Ventrelli
marissa.ventrelli@coloradopolitics.com
Updated 17 hours ago
A $7.4 billion settlement reached with the pharmaceutical company Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family — its owners — is now legally effective a decade after attorneys general from multiple states launched an investigation and seven years after Colorado filed...
Committee approves reworked version of previously vetoed rideshare bill
Marissa Ventrelli
marissa.ventrelli@coloradopolitics.com
Updated 2 days ago
Members of the Colorado House Business Affairs and Labor Committee voted across party lines to pass a modified version of a bill establishing regulations on rideshare companies. Last year, Reps. Jenny Willford, D-Northglenn, and Meg Froelich, D-Englewood, introduced House Bill...
Fight over credit card ‘swipe fees’ attracts nearly 200 lobbyists in Colorado
Marianne Goodland
marianne.goodland@coloradopolitics.com
Updated 2 days ago
One of the most expensive fights of the 2026 session got a little closer to being over on Friday, when the Colorado Senate took a second final vote on the proposal to eliminate “swipe fees” on sales taxes. It’s not...