jack tate
-
Denver District Attorney Beth McCann to Senate President Kevin Grantham: no.
Denver District Attorney Beth McCann Thursday gave a strong “no” to Republican Senate President Kevin Grantham’s request for her to investigate sexual harassment claims in the General Assembly. In a letter obtained by Colorado Politics, McCann wrote that the state Constitution “gives the General Assembly authority to establish rules governing the conduct of its members,”…
-
Bill to fill PERA’s $32 billion shortfall rolls out to a tentative start
The sponsors called the compromise to fix PERA a starting point, not a finish line, as a bill to do so was introduced Wednesday. Senate Republicans and House Democrats agree, however, that lawmakers must make sure the money the state pension brings in is enough to support its retirees. Current workers, retirees and taxpayers all…
-
Senate Democratic Leader Lucia Guzman takes on Republicans over #MeToo
Colorado Senate Democrats pushed back hard on the Senate Republicans’ request for Denver District Attorney Beth McCann to get involved in statehouse sexual harassment cases Wednesday afternoon. And they maintained the drumbeat for the expulsion of Sen. Randy Baumgardner, one of three Senate Republicans accused of improper conduct. Last, backed by GOP women, Senate President…
-
Updated: As PERA bill drops Wednesday, Common Sense Policy Roundtable offers advice
The legislation to backfill a projected $32 billion shortfall in the state employees’ pension plan is expected to be introduced Wednesday. One of the biggest priorities of the session lands near its midpoint, the same day a significant white paper on the subject is released. The bill is expected to offer a bipartisan plan for…
-
Senate President Kevin Grantham calls for DA investigation in sexual harassment
Colorado Senate President Kevin Grantham is calling on the Denver District Attorney’s Office to launch a criminal investigation into any sexual harassment charges that rise to the level of sexual assault. Grantham was flanked by Republican women in the West Foyer of the Capitol, as legislative Republicans and Democrats were meeting elsewhere in the Capitol…
-
Former state Sen. Shawn Mitchell posts profane attacks on Rep. Susan Lontine
Update: as of Saturday noon, Mitchell has apparently taken down the posts attacking Lontine. Senate Democrats Friday afternoon called out former state Sen. Shawn Mitchell, a Broomfield Republican, for posting “vile” comments on Facebook regarding Democratic Rep. Susan Lontine of Denver. Lontine on Thursday went public with a complaint of sexual harassment against Republican Sen.…
-
Colorado state Rep. Susan Lontine accuses Sen. Larry Crowder of sexual harassment
Colorado Senate Republicans have a new sexual harassment problem to sort out, its third this session. Rep. Susan Lontine, D-Denver, released a statement Thursday evening saying she was harassed by Sen. Larry Crowder, R-Alamosa, and her claims were substantiated by a third-party investigator. Lontine said she filed a formal complaint in November but invoked her…
-
Sexual harassment complaint against Sen. Randy Baumgardner found "credible," victim claims
KUNC’s Bente Birkeland reported late Wednesday night that a sexual harassment complaint against Republican Sen. Randy Baumgardner of Hot Sulphur Springs has been found “credible,” according to the woman who filed the complaint. The woman is a former legislative aide and told Birkeland she learned the results of the investigation on Tuesday from a Senate…
-
Rep. Brittany Pettersen pleased with bipartisan leadership on opioid plan
State Rep. Brittany Pettersen was pleased after Gov. John Hickenlooper finished his State of the State address Thursday. He, Senate President Kevin Grantham and House Speaker Crisanta Duran agreed with her: Something must be done about Colorado’s opioid abuse epidemic. Each of the leaders made finding answers a priority. “We really have all of our…
-
Insights: A cloud hangs over a Colorado Capitol that knows rain
What will surprise me next session, I asked Colorado Senate President Kevin Grantham over country fried steak and gravy New Year’s weekend. He looked to his left for a long pause inside the Waffle Wagon in Canon City.”Probably the same things that will surprise me,” he said. Grantham runs the zoo in the upper chamber…