The lighter side of the Capitol, usually, although for this edition, it’s going to take a while to get there.

Never let the facts get in the way of a fundraising appeal.

Between 2012 and 2014, Rocky Mountain Gun Owners made lots of money off of gun control bills coming out of the General Assembly, to the tune of about $258,000. Since then, however, even the red flag bill hasn’t been the moneymaker that RMGO might have hoped for; the organization raised slightly less, about $257,000, between the 2014 election and this year.

So now Taylor Rhodes, RMGO’s executive director, is now resorting to twisting facts in order to raise money.

To wit: this week, Minority Leader Hugh McKean accidentally hit the wrong button when he voted for House Bill 1298, the background check bill. He pleaded with Majority Leader Daneya Esgar for an opportunity to fix it, stating that he got distracted (which is a no-no on third reading). No dice. 

McKean realized his mistake within 15 seconds of the voting machines being closed for co-sponsors and went to talk to the House Clerk. After the next bill was voted on, Garnett recessed the chamber to talk to McKean and Esgar.

After a few minutes of discussion, McKean addressed the House. This is a bill he opposed for a lot of reasons, he told the House, but he accidentally hit the “yes” button. McKean noted that he spoke against the bill during the second reading debate. He asked for a reconsideration, basically, a do-over of the vote, which you’re allowed to do when you vote on the prevailing side. It takes a two-thirds vote to approve that request.

But Esgar asked for a “no” vote, stating lawmakers should be paying better attention, and while she said that wasn’t directed at McKean, it’s not an issue she’s raised recently, so it sure seemed like it was aimed at the Minority Leader. (And shame on you, Madame Majority Leader, for telling people to vote “no” on that revote. Capitol M doesn’t doubt for a second that you’d do it if a Democrat asked.)

Permission was denied on a 32-31 vote, far short of the 44 needed. Kudos to the nine Democrats who have a much better sense of fairness than Esgar and Garnett, who also voted “no.”

Do people make that mistake? Absolutely; in fact, Rep. Marc Snyder, a Colorado Springs Democrat, voted against a committee of the whole report the week before, when the only thing on that report was the second reading debate on the Colorado Option, HB 1232. He later told Capitol M it was a mistake, blaming it on being tired and that it was 2:15 in the morning. He did not ask to correct it, and the next day he voted in favor of the bill.

Capitol M couldn’t remember the last time someone was denied the opportunity to correct their vote under the rules. Some traditions, like fairness, die hard. And then someone on the Democratic side of the aisle claimed the House doesn’t do reconsideration votes. It  took Capitol M all of 10 minutes to find one from the 2010 session. Evidence provided upon request.

And to those who have pointed out that Colorado Politics was on the “friendly” side of a recent list put out by the House Republicans, if calling for fairness makes me friendly, so be it.

Rhodes now has an issue to wave in front of his supporters, facts be damned. He used McKean’s vote in a fundraising appeal on Wednesday, blasting the Minority Leader for his “yes” vote and ignoring the fact that the vote was in error. 

Back to fun and games…

A dreadful scandal broke out on the Senate floor on Friday. Calls came for no less powerful a body than the Supreme Court to investigate this disgrace to the good name of the Senate.

Someone stole the rubber band ball, the pride of Senate Republicans, off of Sen. Jim Smallwood’s desk. Smallwood told the Senate, holding a forlorn little handful of rubber bands, that they belong with their mates, in preparation for the last day of session ball drop. 

“This is not funny,” Smallwood said, pretending to be stern, when people started laughing. “We all know that rubber bands in this chamber belong in one place, and one place only, the Republican caucus’ rubber band ball.”

It was on his desk at the start of the morning session, but it isn’t now.

“This tomfoolery, this chicanery that you’re bringing forth …” and then he was interrupted by Senate President Kerry Donovan for impugning motives.

“I’m asking for the perpetrator to come forward,” Smallwood continued. “I simply want you to do what’s right, not for me, my caucus, or my constituents. Think of these seven rubber bands!”

He ascribed the motive to someone who is jealous of the ball’s secret core, which will lead the Republican caucus to another victory in the drop in a few short weeks. (They’ve won the last three.)

Sen. Kevin Priola of Henderson said Donovan’s body language leads him to believe she is the prime suspect. 

Sen. Bob Gardner of Colorado Springs asked for a call of the Senate, and not to lift it until the culprit is exposed. “It would be a little like Murder on the Orient Express, with people who would say ‘I didn’t do it but I’m glad it was done.’ “

Sen. Rachel Zenzinger of Arvada suggested amending the interrogatories sent to the Supreme Court last month, and that she would seek a motion to amend the interrogatory. “That feels like more appropriate work for a Saturday,” replied Donovan.

The guilty party would do well to remember there are cameras all over the chamber.

That which divides

Sen. Ray Scott’s return to the Capitol earlier this month has earned him a neat little list of jabs; on his first day back (he’s been working remotely and has missed very few votes) he got a standing ovation.

Apparently he also needed a reminder on process so someone helpfully (?) wrote on his plexiglass divider how he’s supposed to do things. 

Dividers have become something of a message board in both the House and Senate during this session.

This limerick was written on Sen. Larry Liston’s divider, author unknown, and that’s probably a good thing.

  There once was a senator named Larry
  Whose humor verse can be hairy
  He is quick with a quip
  Best not to give him any lip
  Lest Larry turn you into a whimp

(Thanks to Sen. Priola for helping Capitol M figure out what was written, and apologies to the English majors out there for the misspelling on “wimp” and for incorrect use of AABBA iambic pentameter; that’s on whoever wrote it)

As of Friday, all of the dividers are gone on both sides of the Senate chamber.

Bronco in the House

Despite how poorly the Broncos have played in the last couple of seasons, when a team member shows up at the Capitol, it’s cause for celebration and selfies galore. Capitol M will admit to having done a selfie after the Broncos’ last Super Bowl win with Chris Harris, part of the “no fly zone” trio a couple of years ago.

This week, kicker Brandon McManus showed up to testify in support of a bill on providing mental health sessions to young people.

Finally, one more sign of normal

Young Latinas who are about to celebrate their quinceañeras (a 15th birthday celebration) have returned to the first floor steps of the Capitol, a popular place to get pictures taken.