Author: Rachael Wright

Forty Years Ago This Week: In a surprising announcement, Gov. Dick Lamm’s talented 29-year-old legislative director, Mark Grueskin, announced that he would be stepping down from his position, effective Jan. 1, to manage Carlos Lucero’s campaign to unseat Republican Sen. Bill Armstrong. In 1976, Grueskin had managed Frank Evan’s primary campaign for the 3rd Congressional…

Forty Years Ago This Week: The Colorado insurance industry, along with Western Insurance Information Services, awarded Senate President Ted Strickland, D-Westminster, Rep.William Artist, R-Greeley, and Dr. Philip Lewis the Human Concern Award. The award was traditionally given annually to a group or individual each year in recognition of service beyond the call of duty. The…

Forty Years Ago This Week: State Sen. Barbara Holme, D-Denver, a leader in the Democratic Party who had served nearly a decade in the Colorado General Assembly, announced by letter to her District 34 constituents that she would not seek reelection following a rough legislative session for the minority party lawmaker. In her letter, Holme…

Forty Years Ago This Week: Denver Mayor Federico Peña’s office announced that he would be the first mayor “in 20 years” to go to jail – at least, the first mayor in that time frame to venture into a jail, placing a visit to the Downtown Detention Center. Lou Schneider, Peña’s appointment scheduler, said that…

Thirty Years Ago This Week: The executive committee of the Colorado General Assembly’s Legislative Council found itself kicking a public relations hornets nest after Senate President Tom Norton, R-Greeley, and House Speaker Chuck Berry, R-Colorado Springs, decided to place the House and Senate Chambers off-limits to anyone but legislators. For the first time in 40…

Forty Years Ago This Week: Republican Denver attorney Phil Klingsmith told The Colorado Statesman that he was discussing announcement dates with party officers to throw his hat in the ring against Democratic U.S. Rep. Ray Kogovsek of the 3rd Congressional District. Klingsmith was seen by Statesman reporters in private discussions with both political director Kay…

Forty Years Ago This Week: Stockbroker Steve Leatherman, who was briefly a 6th congressional district candidate in 1982, announced that he would seek the Democratic Party nomination for U.S. Senate. Leatherman joined Lt. Gov. Nancy Dick who had already announced her candidacy. “I don’t have as high a name identification as the lieutenant governor,” Leatherman…

Sixty Years Ago This Week: Gov. John Love’s administration was failing to address the many problems surrounding Colorado’s rapidly growing population, and the governor was, “frantically looking for new ways to increase taxes,” said Colorado Democratic Party chairman Robert Maytag. Maytag lobbed the partisan attacks – as pointed as they were unsurprising – at a Prowers County Democratic…

Sixty Years Ago This Week: Colorado’s Lt. Gov. Robert Knous publicly chastised Gov. John Love for “breaking faith with the Colorado old-age pensioners,” and urged him to make a substantial effort to direct dollars intended for the medical care fund where they ought to be. At the time in Colorado, the governor and lieutenant governor…

Forty Years Ago This Week: State Rep. Jack Fenlon, R-Aurora, found himself running afoul of the state Republican Party when he endorsed Elsie Lacy for Aurora City Council in a letter to his constituents. Lacy, who served as treasurer on Fenlon’s 1982 campaign was running for re-election to city council, had a primary challenge from…