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Wednesday, January 4, 2006
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Abramoff pleads guilty in Florida
TalkLeft: "Jack Abramoff pleaded guilty today in Florida...Other big Abramoff news today is that the Bush reelection campaign is turning over $6,000 it took from Abramoff to charity."
Captains Quarters: "With the plea deal in place and the prospect of decades of hard time staring him in the face, Jack Abramoff has little choice but to cough up as many of his co-conspirators in the halls of power as he must in order to minimize his prison time, and to make that time as comfortable as possible. I doubt he will err on the side of discretion when calculating what he has to do to ensure his future life outside of the federal penal system, and so we can expect that all of the Abramoff skeletons will come tumbling out of the closet. That will lead to a strange season in national politics, with the Congress reeling from the scandal and the executive holding the field by default rather than by design. What does this mean for 2006 and 2008?"
The Moderate Voice: "So who wins and who loses In the Abramoff mess?"
New West: "The Christian Science Monitor reported yesterday on the ever-unfolding Eminent Domain case in New London, Connecticut, where they have now called in a mediator to assist. If you haven't followed Kelo v. New London, you may be wondering why such a story is newsworthy here in the West."
Category: 2008 Presidential Election
7:26:42 PM 
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Colorado GOP split?
Elevated Voices: "The split among Colorado Republicans that may have started over Referenda C&D is apparently growing. Republicans split over C&D, with moderates such as Gov. Bill Owens and Colorado Sen. Norma Anderson supporting the measures over the objections of more hard-liners within the party. It seems, however, that the fissure the opened up last fall is growing into a full-scale crack."
Denver Business Journal: "House Speaker Andrew Romanoff, D-Denver, said Wednesday he will not run for governor this year. The announcement puts to rest rumors that Romanoff would seek the post, challenging Democrat Bill Ritter."
Category: Denver November 2006 Election
7:05:32 PM
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Growth and water
Here's Part III of the Pueblo Chieftain's series on Colorado Water issues. They write, "The Denver metro area continues to be the 800-pound gorilla tipping the scales of water supply and demand in Colorado.
"More than half the state's population, 2.4 million people, call the six-county metro area home. Growth has been staggering - more than 30 percent in 15 years. And, it's been about that long since communities on the Front Range have been scrambling to provide the most basic of resources to support that growth: water.
"Two Forks Dam, a project spearheaded by the Denver Water Board to meet the burgeoning demand, was vetoed by the EPA in 1990. The veto ended the utility's plans for supplying most outlying communities, and touched off a flurry of activity for water planners.
"It did not, however stop the growth."
Category: Colorado Water
6:13:00 AM
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Abramoff pleads guilty
Congressional fraud and bribery of public officials took center stage yesterday in Washington D.C. as Jack Abramoff pleaded guilty federal and state charges. From TalkLeft, "It's a done deal. Abramoff will plead guilty to charges in Miami and Washington. Here is the Criminal Information (charges) (pdf) filed in Washington today. He will plead to three counts, conspiracy, tax evasion, and mail fraud (honest services.)" Here's a followup from TalkLeft.
The editorial staff of the Denver Post weighs in on the Abramoff plea [January 4, 2006, "Fraud focus turns to Congress"]. They write, "Disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff's guilty plea Tuesday to conspiracy, mail fraud and tax evasion charges no doubt sent well-deserved shivers down some spines in Washington, as the focus of the massive political corruption investigation now shifts to some members of Congress and their staffs...By accepting a plea bargain, Abramoff becomes a key witness in an investigation that could snare some high-ranking officials. His closest relationships seem to be with well-placed Republicans, and if any big elephants fall, it will complicate campaign-year politics for the GOP. At least a half-dozen lawmakers may be involved, but some estimates put the number as high as 20."
Category: 2008 Presidential Election
5:47:03 AM
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Campbell out in governor's race
We don't know about you but Coyote Gulch had not heard much talk recently of a Ben Nighthorse Campbell candidacy for governor. However, the Denver Post is reporting that the former U.S. Senator from Colorado has ruled out a run [January 4, 2006, "Nighthorse Campbell won't run for governor"]. From the article, "Former U.S. Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell said today he has decided against a run for governor of Colorado after [he] strongly considered it...The possibility of a Campbell candidacy had not received much attention in recent months in political circles. U.S. Rep. Bob Beauprez, R-Arvada, and former University of Denver president Marc Holtzman are actively seeking the GOP nomination...'But there was something poetic in a descendant of people who died at the Sand Creek Massacre becoming the governor of the state,' he [Campbell] added, referring to the notorious 1864 slaughter of 163 Indians by Colorado militia troops at a plains campsite."
Elevated Voices: "Campbell declined to endorse either of the two Republicans remaining in the race, Rep. Bob Beauprez and former University of Denver President Marc Holtzman. 'I feel the best candidates haven't emerged yet,' Campbell said."
Here's the coverage from the Rocky Mountain News [January 4, 2006, "Campbell won't run"]. From the article, "Speaker of the Colorado House Andrew Romanoff - often mentioned as a possible Democratic candidate for governor - said he would announce his plans today, and the speculation at the capitol was that he would choose not to run. Colorado politicos are still talking themselves hoarse over whether Denver mayor John Hickenlooper - arguably the state's most popular politician - will respond to the pleas of countless braying donkeys and become the Democrats' standard bearer. Hickenlooper has repeatedly said he is not running, but the mayor has pulled aside enough local political types for a meaningful conversation about the race to fill every stool at his Wynkoop Brewing Co...For now, the race to replace term-limited Gov. Bill Owens includes two Republicans, Rep. Bob Beauprez and former University of Denver president Marc Holtzman, and two Democrats, Bill Ritter and state Rep. Gary Lindstrom of Breckenridge."
Meanwhile the Rocky Mountain News reports that Jon Caldara's Republican party has no room for moderates [January 4, 2006, "Fed-up moderates reflect GOP split"]. Caldara is quoted as saying, "I'm not a social-issues conservative. For me the issue is the size and scope of government, and those who believe the size and scope should be larger are simply not Republicans."
Category: Denver November 2006 Election
5:38:27 AM
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© Copyright 2009 John Orr.
Last update: 3/14/09; 7:56:26 PM.
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