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.
There’s big Colorado politics news developing this morning (as I explain just below), so there’s a lot you need to get caught up on in the meantime. Let’s dive in.
At the Colorado Capitol, Democrats’ effort to expel a Republican state lawmaker over sexual harassment allegations failed. At the nation’s capital, U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner, R-Colo., is pressing Trump to use NAFTA for some big regulatory changes.
The fallout is still ongoing from sexual harassment allegations against Denver Mayor Michael Hancock. (His accuser isn’t happy about how it’s going.)
Also, we took a deep look into a change in federal immigration policy that’s disrupting the lives of thousands of Coloradans.
In the coming months, more than 2,000 Coloradans will lose their temporary protected immigration status. Here's a look at the decisions they are facing now.
A powerful story by and .— John Ingold ☀️ (@johningold)
Fresh this morning: As you read this, top state lawmakers are discussing a $120,000 review and report on the culture at the Colorado Capitol, as it pertains to sexual harassment. Here is our first look at the report, but keep an eye on that link as we will be updating it throughout the day.
:An effort to help immigrants in Colorado avoid deportation passed a GOP committee. Now its future on the Republican-controlled Senate floor is unclear.
ROLL CALL
COLORADO: THE STATEHOUSE & BEYOND
- Slap fight! John Kasich suggests Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper is eyeing 2020 presidential bid.
I see my friend is headed to Iowa. They say no one goes there by accident…
— John Kasich (@JohnKasich)
- The GOP race for Colorado governor has turned a corner. (Hint: There was a criminal allegation and a secretly recorded phone call.)
- The stories behind whom Gov. Hickenlooper pardoned recently.
- The Colorado Senate has begun debate on a $28.9 billion state budget proposal.
- Republican state Sen. Randy Baumgardner was not expelled after GOP leadership in the Senate finally brought forth Democrats’ resolution seeking to oust him over sexual harassment allegations.
- Also, the top Republican in the Colorado legislature has ruled that accusations of sexual harassment against GOP Sen. Jack Tate didn’t violate statehouse policy.
- A GOP group in southern Colorado made national news this week, but for not a good reason. A member of the Alamosa County Republicans resigned after Facebook and Twitter posts from the organization said that “Republicans hate poor people.”
- Colorado Secretary of State Wayne Williams is no longer under grand jury investigation.
- Boating in Colorado is likely to get more expensive under a bill seeking to prevent an invasive mussel outbreak in the state. This comes amid a problem that’s getting more and more attention in the West.
- A Republican effort to create a work requirement for Colorado’s Medicaid recipients failed in a GOP-controlled committee.
- A bill that would close loopholes to Colorado’s law against so-called “revenge porn” unanimously passed the Colorado House of Representatives.
- Colorado Attorney General Cynthia Coffman fired off a 68-page argument urging the state’s Supreme Court to overturn a legal ruling requiring the protection of people and the environment before oil and gas drilling can be done.
- Two Colorado towns approved the sale of recreational marijuana this week.
- More Coloradans died last year from drug overdoses than any other year in the state’s history.
DENVER & THE SUBURBS
- For a couple of weeks, the Denver City Council was gearing up to potentially launch an unheard-of investigation into Mayor Michael Hancock’s sending of suggestive text messages to a security detail officer.
- But there were signs of hesitance, and on Monday, council members emerged from their latest closed-door meeting with a decision: No formal probe will occur.
- In regards to that decision, Hancock’s accuser is not happy.
- Construction of a controversial six-story apartment complex near Olde Town Arvada moved a step forward.
- A mayoral election in Erie “portends the town’s continued path for more aggressive restrictions on drilling.”
- More on the storm that has enveloped Denver’s affordable housing program.
- Opponents of the massive I-70 rebuild through northeast Denver were hopeful last week after presenting outside experts’ evidence in court to support their claims the project will harm neighbors’ health.
- But a new ruling seriously set back their case.
- The streak continues. Six more Colorado communities voted to overturn a 2005 state law that forbids local governments from jumping into the broadband internet game.
- Denver’s prohibition of full-strength beer in parks long has been flouted, with plenty of folks ignoring the rule that allows only 3.2 percent beer. That could change soon, as the city seeks public input on a raft of significant changes to its parks alcohol policy.
D.C. POLITICS FROM A COLORADO PERSPECTIVE
- U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner is pressing President Donald Trump to use NAFTA negotiations to transform federal rule-making in a way that could thwart future environmental protections and other proposed regulations.
- Here’s a deep dive into the more than 2,000 Coloradans who will lose Temporary Protected Status in the next year and a half after Trump terminated the immigration program.
- want a meeting with U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions.
- Sentenced to life without parole as a teen, a Colorado man was hoping a state law could help him. A challenge to the statute has snagged those plans.
- Despite the Interior Department’s earlier plans, gate fees at Rocky Mountain National Park might not skyrocket after all.
- Metro Denver isn’t as dependent on foreign tech workers as other cities.
THE WIRE
- Watch . He can’t find the right word to describe Denver — and compares policies of African-American Mayor Michael Hancock to those in the Jim Crow-era South? — 9News
- U.S. Rep. Jared Polis as being his constituents in a 2016 speech on the U.S. House floor. — The Durango Herald
- A Denver voter got a mailer questionnaire. Only that’s not a thing. — 9News
- Manitou Springs’ motel is having some unexpected effects on local schools. — Colorado Public Radio
- “Pueblo Animal Services officials appeared before City Council on Monday night and explained featured in a National Geographic Wild TV show.” — The Pueblo Chieftain
- Fremont County Sheriff Jim Beicker has to a local gun shop, which apparently is not the standard for law enforcement. — The Pueblo Chieftain
- A , which made big news all week. — The Washington Post
- This bill could be the only oil and gas-related measure to make it through the Colorado legislature this year. — The Times-Call
- Colorado lawmakers want to . — CBS4
- A pro-hydraulic fracturing group mayoral election. — The Daily Camera
- ٱԱ with how to deal with potential sexual harassment by elected officials. — Denverite
- A task force is considering potential that could give developers and building owners more options for complying.— Westword
- Should Colorado of its KKK governor? — Colorado Public Radio
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P.P.S. Here is a fun GIF as a reward for making it to the end of this newsletter. (I’m going to make this a weekly thing.)
Current mood:
— Jesse Aaron Paul ☀ (@JesseAPaul)
Staff writers John Frank, Jon Murray, Mark K. Matthews and John Aguilar contributed to this newsletter.