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Hick: Biden’s withdrawal could ‘be in the best interests of the country’
coloradopolitics.com, National

Hick: Biden’s withdrawal could ‘be in the best interests of the country’

By Ernest Luning | Colorado Politics U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper said Wednesday that he believes it could be "in the best interests of the country" if President Joe Biden ends his bid for reelection, though the Colorado Democrat didn't call on Biden to exit the race, instead suggesting that the president could be nearing that decision. "Joe Biden has always put the country first. He's done what's best for America," Hickenlooper told Reuters in an interview. "He's working towards that." Said Hickenlooper: "That's his decision to make, but certainly there's more and more indications that that would be in the best interests of the country, I think." READ THE FULL STORY AT COLORADO POLITICS
Morgan County case overturned on prosecutor’s improper commenting on defendant’s right to silence
coloradopolitics.com, State

Morgan County case overturned on prosecutor’s improper commenting on defendant’s right to silence

By Michael Karlik | Colorado Politics A Morgan County prosecutor undermined the fairness of a defendant's trial by making improper comments about his decision to invoke his constitutional right to silence, Colorado's second-highest court ruled last week. The prosecution charged Ronald Wayne Gentry with felony menacing after he allegedly put a bullet in the chamber of a gun and pointed it at a neighbor who was feuding with Gentry's mother. Jurors considered whether Gentry acted in self-defense, but convicted him. He received a sentence of probation, jail and community service. Jurors heard Gentry had received a Miranda warning but then agreed to speak with a sheriff's deputy. She told Gentry there were multiple eyewitnesses saying they saw Gentry point a gun, at which point Gentry ...
Federal judge rules, ‘sideshows’ aside, no Colorado voter intimidation by ‘election integrity’ organizers
coloradopolitics.com, State

Federal judge rules, ‘sideshows’ aside, no Colorado voter intimidation by ‘election integrity’ organizers

By Michael Karlik | Colorado Politics A federal judge on Thursday concluded three civic organizations failed to provide evidence that the leaders of an "election integrity" effort illegally intimidated Colorado voters through a door-to-door canvassing project to search for election fraud in the wake of the 2020 presidential race. After three days of testimony, U.S. District Court Judge Charlotte N. Sweeney granted the motion to end the case after noting both sides seemingly wanted to litigate matters beyond the narrow question she had to decide. "It is not about the Jan. 6 insurrection or the history of voter intimidation in this country. It is not about the defendants' collective belief about election fraud. It's not about the security or lack of security of elections in Colorado...
In Day 2 of voting rights trial, plaintiffs struggle to prove intimidation
coloradopolitics.com, State

In Day 2 of voting rights trial, plaintiffs struggle to prove intimidation

By Michael Karlik  | Colorado Politics The plaintiffs who are trying to prove an "election integrity" effort resulted in the illegal intimidation of Colorado voters ran into multiple stumbling blocks in federal court on Tuesday, including the aggressive questioning of the lone voter who claimed she was intimidated and the judge's skepticism about an attempt to introduce new victims at the last minute. Three civic groups — the Colorado Montana Wyoming State Area Conference of the NAACP, the League of Women Voters of Colorado, and Mi Familia Vota — sued the founders of U.S. Election Integrity Plan (USEIP), which was an organized effort following the 2020 election to visit voters at more than 9,400 homes to inquire about their registrations and past voting behavior. The plaintif...
Greg Lopez will serve on U.S. House Budget, Science committees during brief, 6-month term
coloradopolitics.com, State

Greg Lopez will serve on U.S. House Budget, Science committees during brief, 6-month term

By Ernest Luning | Colorado Politics U.S. Rep. Greg Lopez has been appointed to the House Budget and Science, Space and Technology committees, the Colorado Republican announced Tuesday. The newest member of the state's congressional delegation, Lopez was sworn into office last week after winning a June special election to fill the remainder of former U.S. Rep. Ken Buck's term. Lopez said he will take a conservative approach to federal spending on the budget panel while shining a light on his district's "significant and robust" tech sector as a member of the science panel. READ THE FULL STORY AT COLORADO POLITICS
Colorado Republicans praise Trump’s pick of ‘young, dynamic’ J.D. Vance as his running mate
coloradopolitics.com, State

Colorado Republicans praise Trump’s pick of ‘young, dynamic’ J.D. Vance as his running mate

By Ernest Luning | Colorado Politics Leading Colorado Republicans and delegates to the party's national convention applauded former President Donald Trump's nomination of Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance as his running mate Monday, with some lauding the choice of the 39-year-old author as evidence Trump is empowering a new generation of Republicans. "Sen. J.D. Vance is a fantastic choice, and we are over to moon that President Donald J. Trump along with Sen. Vance are on a clear path to victory come November, especially as Joe Biden and the Democrats implode and fall apart during the final chapter of this race," said Colorado GOP Chairman Dave Williams, the chairman of the state's 37-member delegation to the Republican National Convention. Williams told Colorado Politics that the state's dele...
Having called Trump ‘the devil’ and facing calls to resign, state Rep. Steven Woodrow calls the post ‘inarticulate’
coloradopolitics.com, State

Having called Trump ‘the devil’ and facing calls to resign, state Rep. Steven Woodrow calls the post ‘inarticulate’

By Marissa Ventrelli  | Colorado Politics Facing a backlash, state Rep. Steven Woodrow, a Democrat from Denver, described his tweet calling former President Donald Trump "the devil" following Saturday's assassination attempt as "inarticulate" and apologized that his words "caused additional pain."  Woodrow made the post shortly after a shooter tried to assassinate Trump during a rally in Pennsylvania. A bullet pierced Trump's ear and Secret Service agents quickly whisked him from the stage, his ear covered in blood. The gunman was killed and a bystander also died. After Saturday's shooting, Woodrow posted, "The last thing we needed was sympathy for the devil but here we are." Woodrow deleted his X account shortly after making the post.  In a statement to Colorado...
Colorado politicians condemn shooting at Trump rally: ‘Violence is never acceptable’
coloradopolitics.com, State

Colorado politicians condemn shooting at Trump rally: ‘Violence is never acceptable’

By Luige Del Puerto | Colorado Politics Colorado's elected leaders condemned the shooting at a campaign rally held by Donald Trump, who was whisked off the stage after the gunshots rang through the crowd. Trump's campaign said he is "fine and is being checked out at a local medical facility." The former president was showing off a chart of border crossing numbers during the rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, when bangs started ringing through the crowd. Officials said the gunman is dead and one attendee was killed. The Secret Service said the shooting is being investigated as an assassination attempt. READ THE FULL STORY AT COLORADO POLITICS
Dem State Rep. Woodrow deletes Twitter account, faces firestorm of criticism after post-shooting anti-Trump tweet
coloradopolitics.com, State

Dem State Rep. Woodrow deletes Twitter account, faces firestorm of criticism after post-shooting anti-Trump tweet

By Luige Del Puerto | Colorado Politics A Colorado Democratic lawmaker deleted his X account after tweeting that the "last thing America needed was sympathy for the devil" following the attempted assassination of Donald Trump on Saturday. Rep. Steven Woodrow, D-Denver, faced backlash from both Republicans and members of his own party. "The last thing America needed was sympathy for the devil but here we are," Woodrow said. Meanwhile, U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert blamed President Joe Biden and pointed to the "rhetoric from the left," which she said has "escalated to this moment." READ THE FULL STORY AT COLORADO POLITICS
1st Amendment claim of fired Douglas County school employee will be heard by jury
coloradopolitics.com, State

1st Amendment claim of fired Douglas County school employee will be heard by jury

By Michael Karlik | Colorado Politics A jury will decide whether a Douglas County charter school fired an employee because of her protected online speech about vaccinations, a federal judge ruled last month. At the same time, U.S. Magistrate Judge Scott T. Varholak determined Jennifer Webb's repeated reports of alleged financial improprieties were not protected by the First Amendment. Consequently, jurors would not evaluate whether Aspen View Academy retaliated against her for raising concerns of embezzlement. Webb was the business manager for Aspen View, an elementary and middle school in Castle Rock, between 2017 and 2021. Her job generally entailed bookkeeping and financial oversight. Webb soon became concerned about financial malfeasance by the school's principal, Robert Barbe...