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Colorado House Democrats’ caucus finances under scrutiny as ethics case against leader advances
Democratic lawmakers told a legislative ethics panel that a leader’s management of caucus finances left them with unanswered questions, disputed reimbursements and a breakdown in communication that ultimately triggered a formal complaint. The House Ethics Committee is examining a complaint from Rep. Bob Marshall, D-Highlands Ranch, alleging that Rep. Mandy Lindsay, D-Aurora, mishandled and improperly…
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Colorado lieutenant governor candidate Markert says early discipline and key mentors set his course
Editor’s note: This is the first installment in a three-part series examining Colorado’s candidates for lieutenant governor. In this piece, Colorado Politics speaks with George Markert, the Republican running mate to gubernatorial candidate Victor Marx. Marx is competing against Democrat Phil Weiser and his running mate Lesley Dahlkemper, as well as independent candidate Greg Lopez…
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Healthcare Freefall: Finger‑pointing intensifies as Colorado’s healthcare system strains under rising costs, shrinking coverage
Editor’s Note: Colorado’s healthcare system is entering a period of accelerating instability — a “tsunami,” as multiple leaders describe it — driven by collapsing hospital finances, shrinking Medicaid reimbursements, disappearing services and a political fight over who is responsible for this unraveling. Healthcare Freefall is a multipart series examining how Colorado arrived at this moment,…
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‘Ticked off’: Third-party U.S. Senate candidate in Colorado launches $1.3 million TV ad campaign
Bob Chew, the Forward Party nominee for U.S. Senate in Colorado, sends household objects flying in a TV ad set to run statewide through September, backed by $1.3 million in ad reservations across multiple platforms, his campaign told Colorado Politics. Meant to demonstrate the 67-year-old Navy veteran’s frustration with both major political parties, the 30-second…
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Colorado NRA chapter seeks injunction against new gun‑training requirement
The Colorado chapter of the National Rifle Association is seeking an injunction to stop the state from enforcing a new law that took effect earlier this month. The new law requires anyone buying or selling certain firearms to first complete a safety training course offered through Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Under Senate Bill 003, the…
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Parker data center could get $19M tax rebate from Douglas County
At a time when Denver and Front Range governments are restricting or banning data center development, Douglas County commissioners are poised to approve a $19.3 million tax rebate agreement Tuesday for a new data center under construction in Parker. The contrasting approaches are occurring as the debate over data centers has taken center stage in…
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Colorado’s troubled guardianship office pursues ‘cultural reset’
Colorado’s guardianship program, long criticized for mismanagement and high staff attrition, is undergoing a “cultural reset,” as its new director works to repair partnerships and prepare for a major expansion under recent legislation. Created by lawmakers in 2017, the Office of Public Guardianship serves as a ward of last resort for indigent or incapacitated people…
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Right-to-natural-gas proposal in Colorado qualifies for ballot
A citizen initiative that seeks to enshrine the right to natural gas has qualified for the November ballot, Colorado’s election office confirmed on Thursday. Petitions containing signatures for Initiative No. 177 were turned in to the Secretary of State’s Office for review in late June. On Thursday, the Secretary of State’s Office said 146,165 of the 189,508…
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What happens if voters pass Colorado’s two competing income tax measures?
The battle between two competing ballot measures — one seeking to cap Colorado’s income tax rate, the other pushing for a tiered system depending on income levels — might come down to whichever ballot proposal gets one more vote. The organizations behind the two proposals have both turned in signatures to the state election office,…
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National House Democrats add Colorado seats held by Lauren Boebert, Jeff Hurd to target list
The national House Democrats’ campaign arm on Wednesday added the Colorado congressional district held by Republican U.S. Reps. Jeff Hurd and Lauren Boebert to the list of targeted seats the party believes are vulnerable in this year’s midterms. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee included the state’s 3rd and 4th Congression Districts among 12 races added…