Darren Thornberry took his act on the road recently, switching from work as a legislative editor in the Office of Legislative Legal Services to communications for the Public Employees Retirement Association. He’s also been a freelance writer and editor for 26 years, with bylines in several local newspapers and as an editor of a dozen books.

Commas where they shouldn’t be and signs with misspelled words earn his ire. He’s also a fan of the Oxford comma but we won’t hold that against him.

His recent departure from the state Capitol drew moaning and groaning from some of the lawmakers he’s worked with in the last few years, including this hashtag gem from House Minority Leader Hugh McKean, R-Loveland.

In announcing his departure, he left behind his own version of lege bingo, which reflects Thornberry’s well-regarded sense of humor.

Colorado Politics: How did you get into the work you did for the Office of Legal Services? How long were you there?

Darren Thornberry: I have been freelancing as a writer/editor for a couple of decades, but that kind of work can be feast or famine so I always have a germane day job, too. True story: I saw the job listing for OLLS on Craigslist. I had never heard of a legislative editor and had no idea what it was all about. I advanced to a senior editor and the House amendment clerk in my eight years under the gold dome.

CP: What does a legislative editor do?

DT: Legislative editors, as part of an extensive revision process, edit untold drafts of bills, amendments, and legal memos; review and prepare the CRS for publication each year (massive job); do legal research; staff interim committees and, as in my case, serve as amendment clerks in the House and Senate, drafting amendments on the fly.

CP: What was the most challenging part of it? What was the most fun?

DT: The challenge for OLLS editors is the grind. Session is bonkers for everyone but editors move from that right into getting the updates to the statutes ready to publish, which takes all summer, and then they’re straight into interim bill requests. Very little downtime. There is a cumulative, deep exhaustion that can take hold and it did to me. I’m now working in comms for PERA.

The fun is the theatre that erupts in the House and Senate. Also, humor amongst colleagues is just about the only way to get through any of it.

FAST FACTS

Born: Alberta, Canada, and then stints in Texas, Alabama, Scotland and Colorado since 2009.

Education: I have a plain ol’ BS in English from Troy University (Alabama).

Family: Six kids ranging in age from 5 to 26; the youngest just started school in August. One grandchild.

Married to: Melissa, a drummer and paraprofessional serving kids with autism at an elementary school.

CP: Any memorable events you could share?

DT: When people were wearing bulletproof vests because they thought a certain expelled member might shoot them (this was during the expulsion of state Rep. Steve Lebsock, D-Thornton, in 2018).

Also, the protests in 2020 after George Floyd was killed and the damage done to the statehouse. Very odd scene working there in the weeks that followed.

CP: Where did your sense of humor come from? (Read his Twitter posts; the guy’s a hoot!)

DT: Got from my dad!

CP: Tell me about the music and your band Mercy Club – how did you get into it, what you play beyond guitar. How long have you been doing it?

DT: I was born into a musical family and have been playing guitar and writing songs since my mid-teens. I have various recordings out there for streaming and on CDs. Mercy Club is a friends and family band doing original music. Coffee shop rock, if you like! Me on guitar and voice, my daughter singing, my wife on drums, and great friends on mandolin, piano and bass. This summer, we released an EP: Live at Bridgetown.

CP: Favorite musician?

DT: Neil Young

CP: Favorite music to play?

DT: Did I mention Mercy Club: Live at Bridgetown?

CP: First concert?

DT: Sir Cliff Richard

CP: Broncos, Nuggets, Rockies or Avalanche? Or something else? Or none of the above?

DT: Edmonton Oilers, baby!!!!!!! (A real diehard.)

CP: Favorite comic strip?

DT: Red Meat

CP: Favorite watering hole

DT: Odd13 in Lafayette.

For friends wanting to keep in touch, he can be reached at @dethornberry or darrenthornberry.com