Politics
Colorado GOP pushes bill to repeal state health care exchange, but governor will fight
DENVER – Two of the first bills filed in the Republican-controlled Colorado Senate aim to make huge changes in state health care – one that would repeal the state’s health exchange and one that would require state Medicaid recipients to enter into a written agreement if they use a non-enrolled provider.
Both bills are being pushed by new Senate President Kevin Grantham, R-Canon City. Senate Republican Leader Chris Holbert, R-Parker, affirmed the party’s opposition to the state exchange Thursday. Continue reading
Presidential farewell addresses started with Washington, but weren’t a staple until Truman
President Barack Obama gave his final address to the country Tuesday night, addressing what he called victories and failures during his two terms and ending with his hope for continued progression in the country.
The presidential farewell address began with our nation’s first president, George Washington, but did not become a staple of American presidencies until the latter half of the 20th century.
Washington’s first “farewell address” urged Americans to stay together and to avoid partisanship, and was printed in a Philadelphia paper nearly six months before the end of his term.
The next address wasn’t given until Andrew Jackson published his in 1837 – nearly 40 years after Washington’s. That gap in time proved noteworthy in the differences between the two addresses – Jackson talked about how the U.S. and constitution were now engrained in society.
Jackson’s speech, like Washington’s and many of those that were to come, focused on the “common man” being involved in politics, which he said should not be left up to elites with money.
Andrew Johnson ran his farewell message in the New York Times in 1869 despite being impeached a year earlier.
Despite being president at the end of a tumultuous era in America following the Civil War and President Lincoln’s assassination, he lashed out at his political enemies, drawing scorn from many other newspapers. Another farewell address was not given until Harry Truman’s in 1953.
Truman’s address was the first in speech form and was broadcast to all of America. He talked about the great changes American had undergone over the first half the century and during his presidency specifically, and asked his fellow Americans to consider the gravity of some of the decisions he had to make, including dropping the atomic bomb, and “how hard a job” the presidency is.
Since then, every president aside from John F. Kennedy, who was assassinated, has given a farewell speech. Even Richard Nixon, who resigned amid impeachment proceedings, gave a speech in which he said “au revoir” to America.
The Miller Center at the University of Virginia archives presidential speeches. You can find any of the past presidents’ farewell speeches there.
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Declassified intel report finds Putin, Russia meddled in US election to undermine faith, help Trump
WASHINGTON, D.C. – A declassified version of a report by the three top U.S. intelligence agencies on possible Russian meddling into the 2016 General Election says Russia and President Vladimir Putin aimed specifically to undermine faith in the American electoral process and discredit Hillary Clinton in favor of Donald Trump.
The report (click to read in full) from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and national Security Agency (NSA) “is a declassified version of a highly classified assessment,” according to the document, but its findings are “identical” to the classified version. Continue reading
Colorado business, entertainment mogul Philip Anschutz denies being ‘anti-LGBTQ’
DENVER – Philip Anschutz, the Denver-based conservative entrepreneur and son of Frederick Anschutz, called reports he is an opponent of the LGBTQ community “fake news” and “garbage” in a statement released Thursday.
Anschutz owns the Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG), a sports and music entertainment group that runs a slew of venues and is among the country’s largest presenters of live music.
He came under fire in a story published Wednesday by viral media site Uproxx, which, citing a Washington Post report, claimed Anschutz was “anti-LGBT” because he had donated to conservative groups Alliance Defending Freedom, the National Christian Foundation and Family Research Council – all groups that have lobbied against LGBTQ law and social strides.
Political money tracking group Open Secrets records show Anschutz and his wife donated a little more than $1 million this political cycle – all to Republican groups.
Anschutz’s AEG is the entertainment group putting on famed California music festival Coachella, and Uproxx wrote that “heading out to Indio [California] puts money in the pockets of a man who is definitely un-chill” adding that “Anschutz uses the money he makes from his various properties…to support some troubling causes.”
“If the price tag isn’t keeping you out of Indio this year, maybe your conscience should,” Uproxx author Alex Galbraith wrote.
The story was picked up across various other websites, including Rolling Stone and The Fader.
But Anschutz hit back in a statement Thursday.
“Recent claims published in the media that I am anti-LGBTQ are nothing more than fake news – it is all garbage,” he said in a statement. “I unequivocally support the rights of all people without regard to sexual orientation.”
He said the Anschutz Foundation and he himself “contribute to numerous organizations that pursue a wide range of causes” and that “when it has come to my attention or the attention of The Anschutz Foundation that certain organizations…have been supporting [anti-LGBTQ] causes, we have immediately ceased all contributions to such groups.”
His full statement can be read below:
“Recent claims published in the media that I am anti-LGBTQ are nothing more than fake news – it is all garbage. I unequivocally support the rights of all people without regard to sexual orientation. We are fortunate to employ a wealth of diverse individuals throughout our family of companies, all of whom are important to us – the only criteria on which they are judged is the quality of their job performance; we do not tolerate discrimination in any form.
“Both The Anschutz Foundation and I contribute to numerous organizations that pursue a wide range of causes. Neither I nor the Foundation fund any organization with the purpose or expectation that it would finance anti-LGBTQ initiatives, and when it has come to my attention or the attention of The Anschutz Foundation that certain organizations either the Foundation or I have funded have been supporting such causes, we have immediately ceased all contributions to such groups.”
ProgressNow Colorado and One Colorado, which first called on Anschutz to stop funding the groups after the Washington Post story was published, issued another statement Friday to follow up on Anschutz’s comments.
“It is heartening to see Phil Anschutz give his unequivocal support of everyone, regardless of sexual orientation, and we appreciate that the Anschutz Foundation has stopped funding anti-LGBTQ hate groups after the Washington Post revealed the funding in their July article,” said One Colorado Executive Director, Daniel Ramos, in a statement. “We are grateful that Phil Anschutz looked at the facts and did the right thing after our organization and others asked him to cease funding these groups.”
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Adams County appeals to Colorado Supreme Court to uphold special marijuana sales tax
ADAMS COUNTY, Colo. – Adams County will appeal to the Colorado Supreme Court to try to continue collecting a tax on marijuana sales that goes to a scholarship fund for low-income county students.
The county had been collecting a 3 percent tax on recreational pot since summer 2015 after it was approved by voters, but the cities of Northglenn, Aurora and Commerce City sued the county over the taxes, saying it didn’t have the authority to impose the tax.
The Adams County District Court ruled in September 2015 that the tax would be allowed, but that decision was reversed by the Colorado Court of Appeals in December.
Now, the county is appealing to the state’s high court to uphold the taxes, which it continues to collect pending the appeal.
The money from the tax goes to the Adams County Scholarship Fund and is matched by the Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Program. The four-year scholarships go to students who are part of free and reduced school lunch programs in Adams County.
The county says the tax generated $500,000 for the fund in its first year. It says more than 50 students received scholarships from the program in May, and that another $1 million in scholarships will be awarded this year.
“Our residents understood the money generated from this tax could be used for education, and they overwhelmingly supported the tax by voting for this measure,” said Board Chairman Steve O’Dorisio in a statement. “The county will pursue all legal avenues to preserve its authority to collect this tax on retail marijuana that voters in every municipality approved.”
Some recreational marijuana sellers in the county have argued that the tax rate being higher than other cities and counties put them at a competitive disadvantage because of higher prices.
The county says it plans to file its petition with the supreme court sometime this month.
Should the court agree with the appeals court ruling, the county may have to pay the money back.
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Colorado ‘faithless elector’ Micheal Baca referred to attorney general for possible prosecution
DENVER – The Colorado Democratic elector who was replaced Monday after writing Ohio Gov. John Kasich’s name on the elector ballot, instead of voting for Hillary Clinton in accordance with state law, will face investigation by the state attorney general for possible charges.
Micheal Baca, who was among three “Hamilton electors” from Colorado trying to flip electors across the country to not vote for Donald Trump, faces possible misdemeanor charges should the attorney general decide to pursue them.
After a Denver District Court judge tossed an amended oath of office for electors a half-hour before they were set to take their oaths and cast their electoral votes.
But Secretary of State Wayne Williams was allowed to make a new rule, and was able to put together a temporary rule that added nearly identical language to the electors’ oaths in that half hour.
The oath all nine electors took, including Baca, said that they were to vote for the presidential candidate who won the popular vote in Colorado. It was based off an existing statute in Colorado law that says as much, thus binding the Democratic electors to Clinton this year.
Baca and the two other “Hamilton electors” – Polly Baca and Robert Nemanich – took the new oaths.
But Micheal Baca did not check the only box on the ballot, which was for Clinton and her running mate, Timothy Kaine.
Instead, he wrote Kasich’s name on the ballot. State courts had ruled last week that should an elector fail to vote for Clinton, he or she would be replaced.
Indeed, Baca was replaced by Celeste Landry of Boulder after an on-the-spot vote by the other electors. She voted for Clinton and Kaine.
Williams had said he planned to refer Baca to the attorney general to face possible prosecution.
Wednesday, Deputy Secretary of State Suzanne Staiert officially referred Baca, saying he “cast a ballot contrary to the oath” and in violation of state statute.
It will now be up to Colorado Attorney General Cynthia Coffman to decide whether or not to prosecute Baca. He could face misdemeanor charges that could lead to a fine or possible jail time should Coffman pursue charges.
No “faithless elector” has ever been punished, according to the National Archive.
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After raucous electoral vote in Colorado and removal of elector, Trump reaches 270 votes anyway
DENVER – In a raucous occasion at the Colorado state Capitol Monday, the state’s nine Democratic electors voted for Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine as state law requires them to, but only after several last-minute court decisions were made regarding electors’ oaths and one elector was replaced when he failed to vote for Clinton.
The vote happened after more than a week of court filings and arguments over interpretations of the state and federal constitutions, as a group of “Hamilton electors” argued the constitution does not bind electors to vote for a certain candidate and pushed for the Electoral College to put someone other than Donald Trump in the White House. Continue reading
Denver City Council approves gender-neutral single-stall bathroom code changes
DENVER – The Denver City Council voted unanimously Monday night to require all existing and new single-stall bathrooms be designated as gender-neutral.
The move, originally put forth by the Denver LGBTQ Commission, councilors Jolon Clark and Robin Kniech and the Department of Community Planning and Development, will amend the city building code.
Every single-stall bathroom will now require a sign that clarifies each bathroom is open to use by anyone.
For single-stall bathrooms already in place, property owners have until May 1, 2018 to get into compliance and put up new signs.
“Denver will take every step we can to remove barriers for our people while creating more convenience. This is who we are as a city and I’m very proud of that,” Mayor Michael Hancock said in a statement. “This code change was a commonsensical action that we know will allow people to live their lives without anxiety about something as simple as bathroom access. This is also another way in which Denver demonstrates that we are a welcoming and inclusive place to call home for all our people.”
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Colorado electors appeal to state Supreme Court, arguing that state has no jurisdiction to punish
DENVER – The attorney for two Colorado electors seeking to block a state law requiring them to vote for Hillary Clinton has filed an emergency appeal with the Colorado Supreme Court to try again to have the case heard before they have to cast their electoral votes on Monday.
Polly Baca, a former state senator from Denver, and Robert Nemanich, an elector from Colorado Springs, are a part of the so-called “Hamilton electors” movement that is trying to keep President-elect out of the White House and send the election to the House of Representatives for the third time ever. They filed suit last week. Continue reading
President-elect Trump feuds over Russia reports, attacks magazine that wrote negative article
DENVER – President-elect Donald Trump again took to Twitter Thursday morning to feud with U.S. intelligence agencies over allegations that Russia interfered with the General Election, and to again denigrate a magazine that wrote an unfavorable story about one of his properties.
As national news outlets continue to publish stories citing unnamed government sources who point to Russian interference in the election and possible hacks by agents with Russian ties, Trump continued – as he has in recent weeks – to question their findings.
“If Russia, or some other entity, was hacking, why did the White House wait so long to act? Why did they only complain after Hillary lost?” Trump tweeted.
If Russia, or some other entity, was hacking, why did the White House wait so long to act? Why did they only complain after Hillary lost?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 15, 2016
His tweet, however, is mostly false – just as it was when he said news of the hacks “wasn’t…brought up before [the] election” on Dec. 12.
The Obama Administration blamed the Russian government for hacking the Democratic National Committee and Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee on Oct. 7.
“We believe…that only Russia’s senior-most officials could have authorized these activities,” the Office of the Director of National Intelligence said in a joint statement with the Department of Homeland Security that day.
But a Washington Post story and analysis by cyber-firm Crowdstrike published mid-June were the first to raise the flag that Russia may have been behind security breaches.
Only July 25, the FBI announced it was investigating the DNC breach.
Trump even raised the idea that Russia could have been behind the breach and suggested they release Clinton’s emails in his last news conference – held July 27 – though he said the next day he was being sarcastic. Yet on Oct. 9 he suggested at the second presidential debate that “maybe there is no hacking.”
Election Day was Nov. 8, and since then, more actions have been taken by the White House.
President Obama ordered a review of the alleged hacking on Dec. 9, and asked it be ready and on his desk by the time he leaves office.
And on Dec. 12, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest suggested Trump benefited from the alleged Russian meddling directly since he had praised Russian President Vladimir Putin on the campaign trail as a “strong leader.”
Earnest said Thursday at the daily press briefing it was “obvious” that Trump knew during the campaign Russia was trying to interfere in the election and added that Trump should be supporting an investigation rather than questioning it.
But the hacking allegations weren’t the president-elect’s only point of focus Thursday morning.
He started off by criticizing Vanity Fair, a longtime target of Trump’s that has also feuded with the business magnate in its pages, which published a story a day earlier with the headline “Trump Grill could be the worst restaurant in America.”
“Has anyone looked at the really poor numbers of Vanity Fair Magazine,” he wrote. “Way down, big trouble, dead! [Owner] Graydon Carter, no talent, will be out!”
Has anyone looked at the really poor numbers of @VanityFair Magazine. Way down, big trouble, dead! Graydon Carter, no talent, will be out!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 15, 2016
He has a habit of taking to Twitter to attack people or news outlets that have been critical of him or his policies. Since Dec. 3, he has gone after an Indiana steel union president, Boeing, China, NBC News, CNN, the Green Party, Saturday Night Live and Alec Baldwin on the social media outlet.
Just four minutes after he criticized Vanity Fair on Twitter, he thanked Time Magazine and the Financial Times for naming him “person of the year,” which he said was “a great honor!”
Thank you to Time Magazine and Financial Times for naming me “Person of the Year” – a great honor!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 15, 2016
And before tweeting about Russia, Trump fired off another tweet disparaging his favorite target: “the media,” which has rightfully scrutinized his business dealings and connections as they pertain to his soon-to-be presidency.
“The media tries so hard to make my move to the White House, as it pertains to my business, so complex – when actually it isn’t!”
The media tries so hard to make my move to the White House, as it pertains to my business, so complex – when actually it isn’t!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 15, 2016
But the communications director for Trump’s transition team, Jason Miller, said just hours later that Trump’s finances were indeed complex.
Trump also canceled a news conference scheduled for this week – his first since July 27 — in which he was to discuss his business dealings and how they will be handled in his transition to the presidency, but only hours later took to Twitter to discuss the matter without taking questions.
Even though I am not mandated by law to do so, I will be leaving my busineses before January 20th so that I can focus full time on the……
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 13, 2016
He said he would be leaving his businesses and that his sons, Don and Eric, as well as other executives would manage them. He said “no new deals” would be done while he is in office.
Trump has made Twitter his main soapbox for making statements, most-often in lieu of speaking through traditional media outlets he does not trust. But he also failed to invite Twitter to a technology roundtable Wednesday that featured many top U.S. tech companies. Surrogates said the company was “not big enough.”