Welcome back to The Spot, where captures what’s happening this week — from the Colorado legislature to Denver city hall, with a stop through the halls of Congress in Washington, D.C. Each Thursday, our reporters and editors will break down what we’ve covered and what to watch for in the days ahead. This is our fourth version of this newsletter (you can read last week’s here).
OK, you’ve heard this enough. Now to the news…
So, a lot — like a lot, a lot — has happened in the past week, from the Colorado House of Representatives’ first-in-103-years vote to expel a lawmaker, to calls for Denver Mayor Michael Hancock to resignԻprecinct caucuses.
In case you didn’t know, here is who is running for governor and who is running for attorney general.
Otherwise, Anderson Cooper was in Boulder talking Donald Trump, the feds gave an Amtrak line through Colorado more $$$ and we have a look at why a shopping center where adults can drink beer is such a popular idea in the Denver metro.
ROLL CALL
COLORADO: THE STATEHOUSE & BEYOND
- Fresh this morning: Douglas Bruce, a former GOP state lawmaker and author of Colorado’s Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, was dissected on ” Full Frontal with Samantha Bee.” A correspondent for the TBS comedy show *did not* hold back.
- Cary Kennedy triumphed in the Democratic caucus for Colorado governor. But a good number of Democratic — and Republican — voters don’t seem settled on their favorite, unless the candidate is named Undecided.
- Meanwhile, U.S. Rep. Jared Polis’ facade is showing cracks as he vies to become the state’s next governor. Liberal activists are pointing to shifts in his stance on guns and energy development.
- The chief justice of the Colorado Supreme Court is retiring, which could have big impacts on the state.
- Colorado state lawmakers on Wednesday debuted a long-awaited bill that would try to fix PERA by cutting retiree benefits and boosting contributions. Reporter Brian Eason breaks down this complicated issue.
- Families of state workers who die on the job won’t lose their benefits days after their loved ones perish, thanks to a new law.
Warning: The segment below on TABOR and Douglas Bruce contains profanity.
Steve Lebsock’s expulsion
The big news of the past week was the first-in-a-century expulsion of a state lawmaker, now-former Rep. Steve Lebsock following a wave of sexual harassment allegations against him, which were substantiated.
- The scene at the Capitol Friday was nothing short of remarkable. Lawmakers shared emotional stories of how sexual harassment had affected themselves or their loved ones. Two lawmakers even wore bulletproof vests, because they were afraid Lebsock would lash out.
- But Lebsock’s final act as a lawmaker wasn’t apparent until shortly after he was expelled. Less than an hour before the vote, he changed his party affiliation to Republican, a maneuver that could hand the former Democrat’s vacant seat to GOP hands.
- ѴDzԻ岹, it was back to business at the Capitol — though it was clear that the cloud of sexual harassment hadn’t faded from the Gold Dome. Senate Democrats this week have been ramping up the pressure on Republicans to hear another expulsion resolution, while some women wonder if lawmakers are sending mixed signals to victims.
At a hearing to decide if the Colorado House will expel State Rep. Steve Lebsock over sexual harassment allegations, two Colorado lawmakers – Democratic State Reps. Alec Garnett and Matt Gray – say they wear bulletproof vests out of fear of retaliation from Lebsock.
— Erin Powell (@erinepowell)
DENVER & THE SUBURBS
- Walking while holding a drink in your hand? It’s a notion that is beginning to catch on throughout the metro area as communities take advantage of Colorado’s 2011 “common consumption” law.
- Fallout continues to hit Denver Mayor Michael Hancock following his apology last week for sending sexually suggestive text messages to a security detail officer in 2012. The union representing sheriff’s deputies this week called for him to resign. So did more than 50 people who attended a “Time’s Up Hancock” rally±Ա岹ǰԾԲ.
- Meanwhile, Gov. John Hickenlooper declined to say whether the mayor should step aside.
- Also, the attorney for a third person involved in the six-year-old episode surrounding Hancock — an aide sacked by the mayor over sexual harassment allegations leveled by the same police officer — took the mayor to task for his new comments.
- There are more opinions on the prospect of a Denver Olympics.
- Outside the current sewer of Denver politics, we took a tour inside an actual sewer pipe.
D.C. POLITICS FROM A COLORADO PERSPECTIVE
- A $16 million federal grant was awarded to pay for track repairs for Amtrak’s Southwest Chief. It was a sigh of relief for the passenger train’s backers who have been concerned about the Trump administration’s anemic stance toward long-haul Amtrak routes — of which Colorado has two.
- CNN’s Anderson Cooper has muted Donald Trump’s Twitter feed. Here’s what he had to say about it in a Boulder appearance.
- Members of Colorado’s congressional delegation want more money generated by high country ski area fees to go to national forests.
- Conservative pundit Ann Coulter will be speaking at the University of Colorado later this month.
- U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet is taking fire — from his own side of the aisle — over his vote in favor of a bill that would weaken oversight of the banking industry.
THE WIRE
Here are some stories from around the state, region and U.S. we think you should check out:
- There are some important water bills making their way through the Colorado legislature. . — The Daily Sentinel
- Lessons from Texas: ? . — The Washington PostԻNational Review
- One state can commit opioid addicts to force them to get help. ? — Stateline
- A new city-formed task force for group living, potentially taking into account tiny home villages, housing co-ops, artist studios and other forms. — Denverite
- President Trump called elephant hunts a “horror show.” Only thing is his administration has all but allowed them. — The Washington Post
- A look at how a Colorado school funding discrepancy has spawned a fight among state lawmakers. — Chalkbeat
- A former Colorado political reporter on the state’s contentious 2013 gun legislation fight. — The New Yorker
- Could in Denver? — Colorado Public Radio
GET IN TOUCH
Questions, comments, feedback about this newsletter? Send them my way.
And thanks for reading!
Staff writers John Frank, Jon Murray, John Aguilar, Mark K. Matthews and Brian Eason contributed to this newsletter.