U.S. Congress

Tom Tancredo announces he's running for governor...again

Moments ago, during an appearance on Peter Boyles's KHOW talk show (and while surrounded by TV cameras), former Congressman Tom Tancredo announced that he's running for governor...again. "I announced 5 minutes ago my intention to seek the Republican nomination for Governor of Colorado and look forw ... More >>

Andrew Romanoff talks PAC money, house sale and running against Mike Coffman

To some Coloradans, the name Andrew Romanoff is synonymous with disappointment. After losing to incumbent Senator Micheal Bennet in a primary that attracted an almost unheard-of amount of attention, the ex-speaker of the Colorado House took a lower-profile job with the International Development Ente ... More >>

Civil unions bill on way to governor's desk, One Colorado plans celebration event

It's been a long time coming. After a bill to legalize civil unions in Colorado fell short in both 2011 and last year, the measure finally passed the Colorado House today. Next, the legislation heads to the desk of Governor John Hickenlooper, who's promised to sign it. This breakthrough delights B ... More >>

Mike Coffman calls for vote on Violence Against Women Act he's rejected twice

Denver blog posts know the feeling. Colorado Pols on the post-close-election reinvention of the Congressman Dems refer to as "Mike 'Forcible Rape' Coffman," including his call for a vote on the U.S. Senate's Violence Against Women Act, which he previously eschewed. Denver Stiffs' Colin Neilson pre ... More >>

Gun policy: Rep. Ed Perlmutter appointed vice chair on national violence prevention task force

In the contentious debates on gun policy that are likely to remain at the forefront of national politics in the coming months, Colorado is an important player given its history of tragic mass shootings. And on one national task force dedicated to reducing gun violence, U.S. Representative Ed Perlmut ... More >>

Gun policy: On day one, Diana DeGette introduces high-capacity magazine ban

In the final weeks of 2012, Congresswoman Diana DeGette, who represents Denver, pushed for an immediate vote on a measure to ban high-capacity assault magazines. The bill, she said, would be a sign of concrete action after twenty children were slaughtered in Connecticut. But the chance for a vote ne ... More >>

Colorado lawmakers inclined to legalize hiking the Manitou incline

While the clock ticks away on last-minute negotiations to avoid plunging the nation's economy over the dreaded fiscal cliff, the U.S. Senate did take steps late last night to provide a path up the side of a mountain -- and in the process transform thousands of Colorado scofflaws into legal hikers. A ... More >>

Reader: If you need a military assault weapon, you really need a penile implant

Representative Ed Perlmutter wants to introduce gun-control legislation on the first day of the new Congress, and is calling for a reinstatement of the assault weapons ban. Representative Diana DeGette wants to pull the trigger on gun control even earlier -- this week, if possible. She's joined with ... More >>

Barack Obama using anti-Ken Buck strategy against Mitt Romney

Denver blog posts have it goin' on. Colorado Pols thinks the Obama campaign's latest hit on Mitt Romney is reminiscent of the strategy Michael Bennet used to top Ken Buck in the 2010 U.S. Senate race. Mile High Report's Scotty Payne on the Broncos' depth chart. At Mile High Mamas, Erin Udell reve ... More >>

Reader: DEA's equating of marijuana and heroin responsible for smack's new popularity

Yesterday, we featured a video in which Drug Enforcement Administrator Michele Leonhart refused to say marijuana was less harmful than heroin while under questioning from Representative Jared Polis at a U.S. House subcommittee. The clip, and Leonhart's bizarre responses, frustrated a number of comme ... More >>

Video: John Hickenlooper says civil unions aren't marriage on CNN

Colorado's special session, which begins today, is earning nationwide attention for Governor John Hickenlooper due in large part to the civil unions legislation whose death largely inspired it. But in conversation with the net's Candy Crowley (see it below), Hickenlooper avoided espousing same-sex m ... More >>

Ken Salazar gets lots of gas for rising gas prices

There must be days when Ken Salazar wished he'd stayed in the U.S. Senate, rather than joining the Obama administration as Secretary of the Interior. There must be entire months like that. March, for example, when Mitt Romney called for Salazar to be fired.

Winning Movember, week 4: On the sexuality of the mustache

It's nearly Thanksgiving, and since gratitude is for the weak, I'm thankful this year for one thing and one thing only: imminent victory. As we move into the fourth week of Movember, that great month during which brave men attempt to eradicate cancer by growing mustaches (thus raising awareness, whi ... More >>

Village Voice Media asks for your support

Finally, you can combine Congress and fantasy football!

Ken Salazar's salary at center of David Vitter ethics complaint, CREW tells Keith Olbermann

Ken Salazar.​During last night's sophomore edition of Countdown on Current TV, Keith Olbermann featured an extended segment about Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) filing an ethics complaint against Louisiana Senator David Vitter. But the man in the middle of the cont ... More >>

Top five ways to make your "Anthony Weiner" look bigger in photos

Congressman Weiner's infamous boomstick.​Between Scottie Ewing's Michael "Handcock" affair and Congressman Anthony's "Weinergate," our elected officials have kept the headlines hot and their constituencies (and probably their wives) as cold as a case of Otter Pops over the last couple of weeks ... More >>

Reader: Tea Party types are wrong to think Social Security is a redistribution of wealth

​Our post about this past weekend's Tax Day Tea Party in Loveland turned into a lively forum for debate about whether this grassroots movement is a good thing or a bad thing. Here's a post from someone representing the latter point of view.

Civil Union Act should pass in CO House if not blocked by extremists, says Sen. Pat Steadman

Pat Steadman.​Update below: Today, in all likelihood, SB 172, intended to legalize civil unions in Colorado, will be okayed by the state senate, following debate yesterday that warmed the heart of its sponsor, Senator Pat Steadman. Next, however, the bill must be approved by the Republican-con ... More >>

Mike Rosen plagiarizes himself in Denver Post column? He says he did nothing wrong

Mike Rosen.​Update below: This week, a tipster informed yours truly (and Colorado Pols) that KOA talk show host Mike Rosen had basically copied a 2008 column he wrote for the Rocky Mountain News and republished it in December as a Denver Post piece. Rather than simply running side-by-side exce ... More >>

Return to Sender

What would comprehensive immigration reform look like if the Feds got off their duffs?

Mexican Macro-economics

Ken Salazar: Democrats holding Senate might've been easier if he hadn't taken Obama's job offer

Ken Salazar.​Tired of the endless Ken Buck/Michael Bennet attack ads that have made it unsafe to turn on your television for the past month? Blame Barack Obama, who pulled Ken Salazar from his spot in the U.S. Senate and put him in the cabinet as the Secretary of the Interior. How's that worki ... More >>

DREAM Act rejection will come back to haunt Republicans, warns CO immigrant advocate

At the rally.​On Monday, advocates rallied at North High School in favor of the DREAM Act, which would have provided a path to citizenship for undocumented graduates from U.S. high schools. (See a recap and photos here.) But yesterday, Senate Republicans stalled the measure, likely killing it ... More >>

John Elway for Senate? Pollsters tested that two years ago

John Elway.​The playbook in which John Elway makes a run for Colorado governor may not be mythical. That's according to one person who commented on yesterday's "John Elways for Governor?" post. The claim: a polling firm actually asked about that possibility a few weeks ago.

Ken Buck, cowboy boots on the ground, stays in it to win it against Michael Bennet

Ken Buck.​In late August 2009, Jane Norton had not yet entered the U.S. Senate race -- although her anointment by Republic Party powers was imminent. Former Congressman Bob Beauprez had just announced that he'd decided against a run. That seemed to leave just Aurora City Councilman Ryan Frazie ... More >>

Mark Udall called Armenian genocide defector by advocacy group in candidate report card

Mark Udall.​In April, Senator Mark Udall marked the anniversary of the 1915 Armenian genocide with a strongly worded statement. But these words didn't satisfy Rocky Mountain Hye Advocates, an organization trying to get all members of the Colorado congressional delegation to support a national ... More >>

Party on! Register now if you want to vote August 10

​The August 10 primary ballot promises to be a wild one, what with contested races for both the Republican and Democratic U.S. Senate nomination, as well as a GOP face-off for governor and other legislative competitions. But if you're not yet registered to vote, in order to participate in the ... More >>

Ali Hasan is going back to Cali, but not before a few last words

Colorado politics 2010 tarot deck

​Note: This story cartoon will appear in this week's issue of Westword. Politicians and tarot decks are amazingly similar. Both were created for trick-taking games, and both are largely used by the foolhardy to foretell the future. The personalities of Colorado's most widely known politicians ... More >>

Andrew Romanoff edits his former reporter, Dana Milbank

​On Sunday, Washington Post writer Dana Milbank weighed in on his "prickly" former editor at the Yale Daily News: one Andrew Romanoff. Romanoff, who's challenging incumbent Michael Bennet for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate, may have left journalism behind, but he still knows h ... More >>

Top ten political thefts of music

​ There's a certain political group that pays a lot of lip service to individual property rights -- raise your hand if this sounds familiar: Lower taxes, gun ownership, capitalism! As it turns out, there seems to be one aspect of individual property that certain group does not seem to respect ... More >>

Andrew Romanoff gets boost from White House job controversy

"It's nice to feel wanted."​In recent weeks, senatorial hopeful Andrew Romanoff has been under increasing pressure to talk about alleged job offers from the White House if he wouldn't challenge Democratic incumbent Michael Bennet in November, especially in light of similar claims made by Penns ... More >>

Ken Buck endorsed by former candidate Tom Wiens; Sarah Palin stiffs Jane Norton

One endorsement for Ken Buck, none for Jane Norton.​Republican senatorial hopefuls Ken Buck and Jane Norton spent much of last week dishing about wannabe veep Sarah Palin, who was said to be planning a Norton endorsement during her Magness Arena appearance in Denver on Saturday. Problem is, th ... More >>

Personhood Amendment gains support of once-skeptical Republicans

Fetuses are people, too, according to Personhood USA.​Back in 2008, when 21-year-old Kristi Burton was pushing her "Personhood Amendment" -- an aggressively anti-abortion measure that claimed "person" applies to humans from their biological starting point -- even normally anti-choice Republica ... More >>

4/20 brings rallies -- and reporters -- to International Cannabis Day

​Even before today's celebration of International Cannabis Day commences in Civic Center Park at 9 a.m., this city's booming medical marijuana business has already inspired a number of out-of-town journalists to come to Denver to cover the event. And there will be plenty to report on today, b ... More >>

Dick Wadhams on health care: "America will be in great political turmoil after the passage of this bill -- and I think that's good"

"No, I'm not being facetious."​The U.S. House's passage of a massive health-care bill President Barack Obama is planning to sign into law today is already having plenty of political impact locally, with the Gun Owners of America targeting Dem Betsy Markey, who voted for the measure (after voti ... More >>

Kenny Be's Worst-Case Scenario: U.S. Senate candidate celebrity look-alikes

Colorado's political stars will shine as the candidates in the U.S. Senate race take to the stage. Don't be surprised to feel that you've seen it all before... In western wears and folksy airs, the seven Republican candidates (from left to right: Gary Kennedy, Vincent E. Martinez, Steve Barton, Jan ... More >>

Jersey Shore nicknames for Colorado's political contenders, bro: Guido for Governor!

J-Muscle, indeed.​Is the media beating this whole Jersey Shore thing to death? Definitely. Are we here at Westword going to join in on beatin' up the beat? Damn right. Being the thoughtful and responsible journalists that we are, we decided to use the "Jersey Shore Nickname Generator" to crea ... More >>

Is Andrew Romanoff about to raise the white flag?

"Running seemed like a good idea at the time..."​Update, 10:42 a.m.: The Denver Post is reporting that Andrew Romanoff is announcing that he plans to stay in the race for U.S. Senate, not drop out, as has been rumored. Consider that in light of our original item below: Just past noon today, s ... More >>

Andrew Romanoff on staying in the Senate race: "If the fix is in, the fix should be thrown out"

Andrew Romanoff doesn't plan on going anywhere.​Earlier today, Andrew Romanoff defied the rumor mill by announcing his intention to continue his campaign for the U.S. Senate against Michael Bennet. After delivering a speech that can be read in its entirety below, Romanoff spoke to yours truly ... More >>

Now in the center ring: two Senate candidate supporters

In this corner, Gary Hart, the former senator who turned out to be very prescient on terrorism, stumping for Michael Bennet: "My twelve years serving Colorado in the U.S. Senate provides a unique perspective in defining an effective senator. Like most Coloradans, I take very seriously who represent ... More >>

Dick Wadhams calls Bill Ritter, Stephanie Villafuerte and the Denver DA's office "liars"

Dick Wadhams has a big stick, and he's not afraid to stir with it.​The pressure on Stephanie Villafuerte's nomination for U.S. Attorney shows no signs of diminishing. The release of a letter to Senator Mark Udall in which Villafuerte attempted to squash accusations that she'd accessed a crimi ... More >>

Abortion rights a hill Diana DeGette's willing to die on in healthcare debate

Will Nancy Pelosi get so mad at Diana DeGette that she actually blinks?​Just because the House of Representatives passed a healthcare bill this weekend doesn't mean it'll stay passed. Denver congresswoman Diana DeGette is leading a group of reproductive-rights supporters who are mad as hell th ... More >>

A Crush on Cans: Steamworks, Upslope and more

It's American Craft Beer Week - seven days that even the United States Congress felt should be set aside for drinking micro brews. But Colorado's beer culture is worth a deeper look, since 100 craft breweries operated here in 2008, producing 75,000 barrels of delicious beer. Of particular interest ... More >>

First Lady

Carl Bernstein's new book gets inside Hillary Clinton.

The Answer Man

The World's Sport

For author Franklin Foer, the world is one big soccer ball.

Drunk of the Week

Las Margaritas