Earlier, we reported about Representative Mike Coffman’s excuse for a comment he made suggesting that Barack Obama may not have been born in the U.S.: “I misspoke.” By making this claim, Coffman is in good company: It’s become a favorite of politicians who say something dumb or inaccurate but want…
At noon, a day after Republican lawmakers defeated a bill to legalize civil unions in a special legislative session, conservatives rallied on the steps of the Capitol building. The event had been planned days in advance, but due to the demise of civil unions, the tone was celebratory. House Speaker…
The mood was charged from the beginning. Even before City Council voted nine to four to approve Denver’s new urban camping ordinance, one audience member made a point during the Pledge of Allegiance. During its conclusion of “peace and justice for all,” he shouted “ALL!” in protest against the measure…
The so-called House “kill committee” has put to death a bill to legalize civil unions. The measure, sponsored by House Minority Leader Mark Ferrandino, who is gay, failed despite having bipartisan support in the full House when the committee’s five Republicans voted against it. But first, supporters and and opponents…
When Snooze co-owner Brianna Borin spoke out in support of the urban camping ban at a city council hearing two weeks ago, Occupy Denver members took offense and launched a morning-long rally against the restaurant spot — which employed four homeless individuals inside at that very moment. Days later, co-owner…
It’s crunch time. As the Denver City Council prepares for a final vote tonight on the proposed urban camping ban, opponents and proponents spent the weekend discussing the issue in meetings and on the streets. At the Inter-Neighborhood Cooperation, regional representatives hosted a panel to debate the ordinance, which could…
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 marriage and stressed that this issue and…
If a house falls into foreclosure and nobody is around to hear about it, does it make a difference? What about if an entire coalition is around? This week, volunteers at the Colorado Progressive Coalition tried the second option when they accompanied local homeowner Jim Erlsten to the downtown Broadway…
As we’ve reported, Governor John Hickenlooper called for a special legislative session following the blockage of a civil unions bill. The governor’s office has identified seven bills that Hickenlooper hopes will be addressed beginning on Monday, including the controversial THC driving bill. Does that mean Hickenlooper will sign the latter…
When AM 760 dropped popular progressive host Mario Solis-Marich late last year, fans freaked. The loss, propelled by budget cuts, incited protests against the station and its host company, Clear Channel, fueled by fear that Denver’s Hispanic community had lost one of its voices in the media. And while Solis-Marich’s…
For those keeping track at home, the investigation of the April 2009 on-camera beating of Michael DeHerrera has lasted more than three years — and it’s not done yet: The Colorado Progressive Coalition announced today that the case had been delayed for five more months. Over the past three years,…
Welcome to Colorado, Hollywood! The word from the Senate Majority Office is that House Bill 1286 — better known as the film incentives bill — has passed the Senate, its last hurdle before reaching the governor’s desk. The bill increases the cash rebate offered to filmmakers from 10 percent to…
Last night, House GOP leadership killed a civil unions bill sponsored by Senator Pat Steadman by preventing a procedural vote that would have brought it to the chamber’s floor today. Steadman was severely disappointed by this manner of murder, which also prevented the passage of many other bills. But he’s…
Update: In our coverage yesterday about a pro-civil unions rally on the west steps of the State Capitol (it’s on view below), we asked: “Can Colorado House leaders be shamed into giving a chance to the civil unions bill?” Turns out the answer is “no.” The civil unions bill died…
Breakfast and politics don’t always mix — but Occupy Denver waits for no muffin. After Brianna Borin, co-owner of downtown early-morning eatery Snooze, spoke in “strong favor” of the proposed (and preliminarily passed) urban camping ban at last Monday’s eight-hour City Council meeting, the local movement aimed its ire at…
Editor’s note: This is the latest profile in Kelsey Whipple’s ongoing series highlighting local political activists. For his first job, a preteen Julien Ross sold lemonade and lied about it. Or at the very least, he didn’t tell the whole truth about it. The juice came from freshly squeezed lemons,…
Update below: Boulder has filed a temporary restraining order against Seth Brigham, a local known for irritating officials in public places — once by stripping to his boxers at a city council meeting (more on that below). A city spokeswoman cites an expert on workplace violence who sees Brigham as…
Update below: Wednesday, Colorado Ethics Watch requested an IRS investigation into the nonprofit status of Open Government Institute of Colorado based on a video featuring OGI’s executive director, Jessica Peck. The claim: OGI was working to benefit Congressman Mike Coffman, who’s running for reelection. In response, Peck maintains that “this…
Representative B.J. Nikkel, a Republican from Loveland, became a hero to supporters of the Senator Pat Steadman-sponsored civil unions bill when her vote in favor of the measure allowed it to pass the House judiciary committee yesterday; see a slew of tweets singing her praises below. She was the sole…
Yesterday’s May Day events brought together protesters across the world in support of workers’ rights, with Occupy Denver joining other activist communities on marches, teach-ins and direct actions. But while Seattle erupted in scenes of violence and New York witnessed more than thirty general strike arrests, Denver experienced relatively few…
In January, Senator Morgan Carroll told us she feared Senator Steve King’s reboot of the THC driving bill would be difficult to kill due to a clever maneuver that avoided her committee — and the tricks didn’t stop there. The measure appeared to die on the Senate floor a short…
Update, 3 p.m. May 1: Today, hundreds of protesters took the day off from work and school to spend it with Occupy Denver in Civic Center Park. For the local movement and its community partners — the Mercury Cafe included — May Day began at noon with a march and…
