michael merrifield

DFER: Why Colo. Democrats threw it out of their state assembly

Apr 24, 2018

—

by

Marianne Goodl

On April 14, in what was the most dramatic moment in the Democratic Party’s state assembly, party activists won delegates’ assembly approval for a demand that the Colorado chapter of Democrats for Education Reform (DFER) stop using the word “Democrat” in its name. The move exposed a deepening schism in the party over school choice…
Capitol M: Week ending April 6, Budget Edition

Apr 7, 2018

—

by

Marianne Goodl

Take me out to the ballgame, take me out to the crowd, or, what goes on at the Capitol when lawmakers are not sitting at Coors Field, or as it was briefly known as on Friday, Citizens Bank Park. The next time Rep. Leslie Herod offers you donuts around April Fool’s Day…Capitol M advises…
Colorado Senate Republicans: Still a ‘NO’ on banning bump stocks, but yes to RMGO money

Mar 13, 2018

—

by

Marianne Goodl

The Trump administration is OK with a ban on bump stocks. The Florida Legislature, despite opposition from the National Rifle Association, last week approved a package of gun control measures, including a ban on bump stocks that increase the firing capacity of normal rifles. Colorado’s state Senate is a week away from hearing a bill that…
Local school boards to Colorado board of ed: Butt out on charter schools

Feb 14, 2018

—

by

Marianne Goodl

For those who believe strongly in the premise of local control of school districts by the people elected to run them, the idea that the Colorado State Board of Education can overrule local decisions on charter schools rankles. Case in point: Jefferson County. Last year, the local school board gave grudging approval to a charter…
Colorado state lawmakers honor fallen El Paso County Deputy Sheriff Micah Flick

Feb 6, 2018

—

by

Marianne Goodl

The eight members of the Colorado House who represent El Paso County held a moment of silence Tuesday morning to honor the memory of El Paso County Deputy Sheriff Micah Flick. Flick, an 11-year veteran of the El Paso County Sheriff’s Department, was killed in the line of duty Tuesday afternoon during a stolen car…
Bill to ban bump stocks hits Colorado

Jan 23, 2018

—

by

Marianne Goodl

The movement to ban the purchase or sale of bump stocks, used to convert semi-automatic weapons to automatic ones, has now made its way to the state Capitol. Tuesday, Democratic Sen. Michael Merrifield of Colorado Springs spoke to reporters about Senate Bill 51, which would ban the purchase or sale of bump stocks or similar…
Anti-Devos rally makes no secret of rift within Dem ranks over education reform

Jul 20, 2017

—

by

DAN NJEGOMIR Colorado Politics

A mass-email from the Colorado Education Association Wednesday included a play-by-play account of that morning’s protest and rally at the Capitol denouncing Trump Education Secretary Betsy DeVos’s visit to Denver. So, even those who weren’t able to attend still got a feel for the event. And one of the feelings that was easy to pick up was…
Q&A w/Brad Jones: ColoradoPolitics.com reconnects with a onetime political pot stirrer

Jul 6, 2017

—

by

DAN NJEGOMIR Colorado Politics

Remember Brad Jones? Not all that long ago, he was the enfant terrible of conservative-libertarian politics in Colorado. You may recall his tenure as the young man behind the upstart blog Face The State, which among other things exposed an email exchange between two Democratic state lawmakers bashing school choice; it led to the virtual…
YESTERYEAR: Hart announces second run for president, legislator’s CORA request ignites kerfuffle

Apr 6, 2017

—

by

Rachael Wright

Thirty Years Ago This Week in the Colorado Statesman … Colorado U.S. Sen. Gary Hart officially announced his second run for U.S. president on his home turf at Red Rocks Amphitheater, saying, among other remarks, “I guarantee you that I’ll make some mistakes.” At a press conference the next Tuesday, in Denver City Council chambers, he said that he had…
Johnston jumps in the water

Jan 17, 2017

—

by

Mike McKibbin

Former state lawmaker Mike Johnston launched his campaign for the Democratic nomination in the 2018 race for Colorado governor on Tuesday, Jan. 17. “The urgency and magnitude of challenges we face at this time in our history require big, bold ideas and the proven ability to get them done,” Johnston said in a news release.…