Denver City Auditor Dennis Gallagher in recent days returned to the Colorado state Capitol, where he launched his political career. (Provided by CBS4)
Denver City Auditor Dennis Gallagher, who leaves office in July, has lobbied state lawmakers in recent days on a human services audit bill, returning to the building where he launched what became a 45-year-political career.
The north Denver Democrat was first elected to the Colorado House of Representatives in 1970, where he served two two-year terms, and then served as a state Senator for 24 years. He was elected to the Denver City Council and then two terms as Denver city auditor, in 2003 and 2007. He leaves office in July.
“It might be fun to come back here,” Gallagher joked Thursday after a committee hearing at the Capitol.
The ubiquitous politician recently was the subject of a
Gallagher testified on April 24 for , bi-partisan bill to allow local government auditors access to confidential county Human and Social Services records.
“We tried to do an audit of Human Services to ensure that processes and controls were in place to make certain that there was appropriate protection of at-risk children and adults but we ran into an access-stone wall and had to drop that audit,” Gallagher said in a news release, when announcing he was testifying before a Senate committee.
The bill is scheduled to be debated by the Senate on Monday, said one of its sponsors, Sen. Lucia Guzman, D-Denver.
Gallagher said that while at the Capitol he has enjoyed running into longtime staffers and lawmakers-turned lobbyists, including former House Speaker Ruben Valdez.
