Photos: Barack Obama talks gun control at the Denver Police Academy

As recently as Monday, Representative Rhonda Fields didn’t know if she’d be invited to President Barack Obama’s Wednesday gun-control talk at the Denver Police Academy. But Fields was on hand along with many other local political heavyweights, including Governor John Hickenlooper, Senate President John Morse, Senator Rollie Heath and many…

Photos: John Hickenlooper signs Colorado Civil Unions Act into law

It’s only fitting that the acme of Governor John Hickenlooper’s recent political responsibilities came in a building called History Colorado. On Thursday, before a crowd of hundreds lining railings three stories up and jostling for a view, Hickenlooper signed the Colorado Civil Unions Act into law. Below, see photos and…

Photos: Ten famous same-sex couples who’ve tied the knot

Yesterday, Governor John Hickenlooper signed civil unions into law; for our coverage, click here. In honor of this historic step, we’ve assembled photos and information about famous same-sex couples who’ve legally committed to each other, either through marriage ceremonies in areas where doing so is permitted or through civil partnerships…

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 Enterprises, a non-profit that promotes economic development…

Death penalty battle heats up at the State Capitol

In more than eight hours of emotional testimony that stretched well into the evening, activists and faith groups seeking to abolish the death penalty in Colorado squared off against prosecutors and other backers of the ultimate punishment yesterday — with family members of homicide victims speaking out on both sides,…

Franklin Sain’s racist and sexist anti-gun-control e-mails are protected free speech, attorneys say

Franklin Sain, the government contractor arrested last week after sending racist and sexist e-mails to Representative Rhonda Fields, a prominent backer of gun-control legislation (see our previous coverage below), has now been formally charged with two counts, including harassment-ethnic intimidation, by the Denver District Attorney’s Office. But Sain’s attorneys argue…

Civil unions bill passes Senate, heads to House

Last May, a civil-unions bill died an ugly death in the Colorado House of Representatives, alternately frustrating and pissing off backers. But this year appears to be a very different story. A short time ago, the state senate approved the Pat Steadman-sponsored measure — and while that happened in 2012,…

Gun policies: Colorado Democrats propose sweeping changes

Colorado Democrat leaders proposed an array of gun control measures today that would lead to comprehensive state policy changes. The proposed legislation addresses assault-rifle ownership, modernizing the current background check system, a high-capacity magazine ban and strengthening mental health resources…

Social Network Privacy Act: Could it help future CarlyCrunkBears?

The uproar over photos and messages associated with the Twitter account of Overland High’s Carly McKinney, aka CarlyCrunkBear, offers a cautionary tale about the ways in which social media has changed the professional landscape. But a new bill headed to the Colorado legislature could make losing one’s job for imprudent…